The First Equestrian Civil War
by cursedchords
Summary: This is Part 2 in the "Legends of Equestria" series, the sequel to Ascending Star, covering the roughly 500 year interval between Princess Celestia's ascendancy to the throne and the first emergence of Nightmare Moon. Major historical events covered herein include: the segregation and later reunification of the Pegasi, the First Battle of Ponyville, and the origin of cutie marks.
1. Chapter 1: Starlight

(Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has taken time to read Act I: Ascending Star. This is the next part of the story, the 500 year period between where Act I left off and the first emergence of Nightmare Moon. Herein, we shall see Princess Celestia drift somewhat from the path of righteousness into a morally ambiguous position as she does what is necessary to protect her hold on power. In the process, she will alienate many of her old allies, including her once faithful sister, precipitating her decline as a character.

As always, reviews and comments are wholly appreciated. I am currently engaged in my third year of university so I won't be able to work on this as much as I would like to, but I'll try to update this as often as I can. And once again as the final note, the rights to these characters do not belong to me.)

Act II: The First Equestrian Civil War (1750 UIT – 2250 UIT)

Local Calendar: 1 YRC – 501 YRC (Years of the Reign of Celestia)

**Chapter 1: Starlight**

It had been three months since the traitorous Seraph and his Order of Fire had been destroyed. Over the course of that time, the population of Equestria had displayed overwhelming support for the reforms and renewals put forward by the two Princesses, Celestia and Luna. A geological and geographical commission was now scouting and charting the extensive countryside, suggesting names for the various landmarks and dividing the kingdom into provinces. For the most part, naming was done by local suggestion, except for the capital city, as Celestia could not bear the name of Eridian to be applied to her seat of government. Besides, the city was undergoing a major process of urban renewal, so the name would hardly apply in the future.

However, since the city and its high castle were still unfit for the royal sisters, both continued to reside in the mountain headquarters of the old Order of Water, now completely absorbed into Celestia's new school, the Order of Starlight. Those among the old Orders of Earth and Air that wished to had also made the journey to study under the Princesses' auspices. Since the original Ancient Orders had been formally dissolved, those who remained outside of the royal influence would have to be dealt with at some point, but Celestia had more important things to deal with at the moment.

"Before one rides out to deal with one's enemy, first ensure your own camp is united behind you," the ancient strategist Fun-Shu had said, his words now immortalized in a collection of sayings and mantras that Celestia kept by her bedside, along with _The Princess_, an introductory work on statecraft by the great philosopher Nicola Machiavilic, both of which she studied regularly. She knew that in order to establish complete control over her new state, she would need to vanquish all potential threats, even those she had once thought of as allies. Today, she was on her way to take care of the final problem, along with seven of her personal Astrala regiment of guards. These seven had been handpicked from the legion training to be in her personal service, as so many had volunteered for after the spectacle of her speech in the square. The rumors concerning that event had spread so far and grown so fantastical that the Princess feared it may need to become an annual occurrence.

Dressed entirely in white, the fanatical legion had served her well already, and always helped to provide that extra bit of intimidation whenever she rooted out one of her enemies in the populace. As she calmly ascended the west staircase in the great Library of the Ancients, Celestia remembered the past year she had spent studying within these walls. She had been so young back then, with big plans for the future but no strategy for how to carry them out, or for what to do when she was in control. She had flicked eagerly through the miles of bookcases, voraciously consuming the information to build her own magical potential. What would be required here was indeed a shame.

Today, the room was quiet. Over time, all of the students and staff had moved into the Order of Starlight's new headquarters, adjacent to the capital city and closer to Celestia's sphere of influence. Celestia was right now headed to a final meeting of the Masters, ostensibly to plan how to fully deconstruct the operation here and move it out. Unfortunately for the Masters, however, Celestia knew there were other issues that needed more urgent debate.

As she entered the hemispherical chamber that had served as their meeting room for several months now, Celestia noted that all three of the remaining Masters were present, though (typically) both Terraria and Altas had wistful expressions on their faces, and did not appear to enjoy being here at all. They wouldn't be a problem. But it was Aquos who would provide a challenge. Her eyes were hard and determined, and her magical power was not insignificant, though it paled in comparison to Celestia's own. In addition, Celestia had a secret backup plan, though she hoped with all her heart that she would not have to use it.

"Masters!" she announced as she came down the steps, flanked and followed by the group of Astrala. "Today we come together to discuss the state of the continued revolution. However, there is a more grave matter that has come to my attention, a matter that must be dealt with immediately." Turning toward them with a grave expression, she proclaimed, "One of you is conspiring against me."

In the harsh silence that followed, Celestia examined each of the three Masters in turn, searching their features for signs of guilt. Though she was already aware of whom the traitor was, it always paid to be vigilant, as there could always be another plot that she did not already know of. But the other two appeared to be innocent, so Celestia went ahead with the plan.

"Terraria!" she shouted harshly, advancing on the Master of the Order of Earth. The shy mare of the forest drew back from her keen gaze. "Incontrovertible proof has been brought before me that you seek to subvert the new Equestrian government for your own intentions. Have you no shame? Do you not see the bright future that you are endangering?"

Terraria spoke up quietly, her voice barely a whisper. "But I would never…"

"Silence!" Celestia roared. "I've had enough of your lies. Only the cold barren walls of a dungeon cell could stand such untruths. Astrala! Take away this traitor."

As the guards took Terraria in hand and led her away, Celestia turned to leave with her, hiding a sly grin. It should only take a few seconds before…

"Enough!" cried Aquos. "If you need to find your traitor, then take me! But leave the innocent out of our mess. This is neither the place nor the time for such manipulations."

Motioning for her Astrala to release Terraria, Celestia snickered in satisfaction. Of course, Aquos' conscience had always been her primary weakness, and it had been a simple matter to goad her into implicating herself. Celestia found such political manipulations terrifically entertaining. Turning again to Aquos, she feigned confusion, as if she did not already know why her old teacher would turn against her. As if Aquos herself hadn't been telling her every week in their meetings. "Aquos? My teacher? But, why?"

For once, Aquos allowed her true anger to show. "Why? Why?! Because you have taken what I taught you, the skill to free the population, and turned it against our original intent, that is why. We desired to offer the people unlimited freedom, to choose their own destiny, but you and your sister are now creating a new absolutist monarchy! We have simply traded one dictator for another. Can you not see the way forward? Our people can govern themselves; elect their own guards for future security. They have no need of you or the autocratic apparatus you would create."

Celestia smiled to all those assembled. "I trust you all have heard her sedition? Astrala! Bind this traitor, and take her away." As Aquos was being led from the room, Celestia turned a last time to the two remaining Masters. "Both of you have a final choice to make now. As you have no doubt become aware, both of your orders are in decline, and if they remain active, I will be forced to destroy them, as I have Water and Fire. There can be no authority in this kingdom other than my own. However, out of respect for the aid you have supplied to me in the past, I shall offer you a chance to be exiled, rather than face execution or imprisonment."

She spoke to Altas first. "Altas, you and your followers fought bravely for freedom in the Battle of Blood Gorge against the army of Seraph. For that, I will ever be grateful. As per our agreement, you have authority over all the Pegasi of this kingdom, to deal with them as you will. You always requested the chance to abstain from the ordinary and study in peace. This shall be your opportunity to do that. Take your people, and flee to the sky."

Leaving him thoughtful, she settled on Terraria next. "Dearest Terraria, you and your followers have always kept to your strict doctrine of peace and isolationism. This is now your opportunity to vanish into the woods, taking all your wisdom with you. You need never be troubled with the machinations of the outside world again. I trust you will see that this is the only way forward for you and your students." She saw Terraria offer a slight nod, and turned to leave the room. Only one problem now remains, she thought, though it might require a little more force.

Alighting on the top of the chamber, she rejoined with her Astrala guards. Speaking softly with one of them, she firmly ordered him to ensure that both of the Masters got out of the building safely. Things would be getting a little dicey in here soon enough, after all, and she needed to make sure that Air and Earth were properly subdued before carrying on with the rest of her plans.

Re-emerging at the top of the Library of Ancients, Celestia saw that Aquos had been properly bound and was incapable of flight, at least as far as her legs were concerned. She could of course still teleport away, which was why Luna was outside with the Elements of Harmony, maintaining a magical barrier about the place to stop her from leaving. The remainder of her new Astrala division was also stationed nearby to aid in Aquos' capture. She strode regally around her prisoner, savoring the victory. Of course, Aquos would not leave just yet. She still wanted to impress upon Celestia the error of her ways.

"Aquos," she began in a patronizing tone, as though she were the teacher and not the student, "why must you persist in denying that which I have created? My kingdom shall persist for thousands of years, offering the people the freedom that they have eternally desired. What more could a pathetic 'government of the people' offer that I cannot give them?"

Aquos was letting her true colors show, and a disgusted sneer curled back her lips. "You of all ponies I did not expect to be corrupted so easily by the power of your position. You were my greatest student, but you never did see that magic is but one part of the whole that encompasses true enlightenment. Your power may be overwhelming, but there will always be sections of the population who refuse to bow to it. Thousands of years? Ha!" She spat upon the floor before Celestia's feet, earning a stern glare from all the Astrala. Celestia waved them off. She wanted Aquos to be here for the next part. Calmly, she moved across to the railing, looking out over the great room.

Sweeping her arms outward, Celestia continued, "You know, Aquos, I used to spend untold hours perusing these bookshelves. I came to understand that the entirety of our race's knowledge is held within these walls. Such a concentration of data offers anyone a chance at amassing untold power, if given enough time and freedom to explore. Over time, I think I read just about every one of these books, and together they have turned me into the person I have become. Unfortunately, surely you can see the threat that they now pose?"

Aquos remained silent, so Celestia continued. Gazing down all the way to the expansive floor, she could see that the magical tiles had formed into a raging rapid. So she still resists me then, she thought. This next part should be a sight then. "If anyone else were to be given the latitude that I was; to explore this fount of knowledge to the same degree, they could happen upon the same sort of power that I have found, and surely you realize that that is something I cannot allow." As she smelled the first wisp of smoke drift up to their perch, she remarked, "The irony of this is not lost on me. Fire and Water were always at odds, and now both will have destroyed the other. Such is the nature of fate, I suppose.

Aquos could smell it now too, she could see. The flame of hatred that passed across her old teacher's face was undeniable, as was the deep concentration that signaled the beginning of the teleportation spell. Celestia was almost saddened that this was the end of their relationship. But in the end, Aquos had taught her everything that she could, and it was now time to move on. As her one-time friend winked out of existence, Celestia gazed down once again at the Library, which was by now consumed in towering flames and beginning to fill with smoke. At last, she realized, I can get on with the important business.

Several Days Later

Beyond the mountains of the city once known as Eridian, now newly christened as Celestia's capital of Canterlot, there was a low desert plain. At the very edge of the desert, and also on the absolute border of the kingdom of Equestria, there was a small town, little more than a village. The hardy settlers here cared little for the events of the kingdom in general, and survived mainly by trading what little they could produce with the foreigners who lived somewhere beyond the ocean of sand. And so naturally, this was the perfect place for Princess Luna to dispose of her newest assignment.

Since the institution of the new kingdom, Luna had thrown herself wholeheartedly into laying the groundwork for the new government, performing all the thankless little jobs that needed to get done, whilst Celestia got to swan about in the public eye, performing the ceremonial duties and serving as the object of the people's love. Luna knew that she deserved just as much credit for the new state of affairs as did her sister, but she didn't need to be acknowledged publicly to feel accomplished. She and her sister had pledged to stand by each other's side, and the only approval she desired was that of her fellow Princess.

Therefore, it was natural that Luna would be the one chosen to perform this unfortunate little errand. As she had with the other Masters, Celestia had offered Aquos the opportunity to choose exile rather than face personal destruction. However, as she did not feel that she could trust her old teacher to fulfill such promises, she had sent Luna and a collection of Astrala guards to ensure Aquos would be gone for good.

Luna had found it relatively easy to establish contact with the foreign merchants who lived beyond the sands, and had received word that they would be happy to take Aquos, provided she was properly restrained and would come with a generous bonus of currency. As Celestia had recently established a Mint and moved Equestria onto the gold standard, finding the money hadn't been a problem. The restraints, however, were a more interesting situation. The problem had only been solved several weeks ago when Celestia had sent her a magical "inhibitor" a strangely charmed stone that nullified the effects of magical spells in its immediate vicinity. However, she had also been informed that its effects weakened over time, so the deal had best be concluded quickly.

Luna had wasted no time setting up this appointment, and now rode out into the desert on a modified sand-sailboat, taking along two Astrala, a local navigator, and of course the bound and gagged Aquos. The old Master seemed to have resigned herself to this fate, and had given up resistance several hours previously. As the wheeled craft raced over the dunes, Luna reflected on how far her and her sister had come together. Less than half a year ago, they had still been humble siblings, albeit with magical powers. Now, they were rulers of the free world. Although Celestia had established herself as the figurehead and Luna's role had been marginalized, she held no grudge against her sister. She enjoyed working in the shadows to make the kingdom run smoothly. It was what she had been born to do.

Coming upon a stand of stones in the middle of the desert, the party stopped. Double-checking their position, the navigator assured them that this was the place. The drop would be blind, and Aquos would be left with enough food and water to last several days, although if she tried to escape, the desert would surely take her. The inhibitor would last for some weeks more as well. As Aquos was unbound and lowered into the shallow depression covered by the rocks, Luna felt a certain pang of sympathy for the old Master. In another set of circumstances, she could easily have stayed on with them. But The Emperor had arrived and changed everything, and now Celestia needed to be strong, free from all potential threats. This was the only way.

Leaving Aquos alone in the desert, Luna and her crew turned around to head back to Equestria. With that job finally done, thought Luna, now it was time to turn to more interesting endeavors, such as supervising the new agricultural plots, or overseeing the fiscal market centred in the new city of Manehattan. There was so much to be done, but it would all see its end in due time.


	2. Chapter 2: Seeds of Unrest

**Chapter 2: Seeds of Unrest**

2050 UIT (301 YRC locally)

"And after the Pegasi were exiled from the ground below, they followed their fearless leaders up into the sky, where they established our great nation through the sweat of their brows, such that you and I can enjoy peace for all of our lifetimes."

And so on and so on droned the lecturer in the great hall. As he had for almost an hour previously, although Gabe Sotheby had lost track of the time several minutes ago. He cared very little for such boring topics as history, especially the ancient history of his own race, checkered though it was with "fearless leaders" worthy of admiration. As he gazed out the windows of the hall, Gabe could only long for the chance to be free again, outside of the wretched confines of the school. Free to make his own way through the boundless sky, and free to choose his own course in life.

Gabe was a young male Pegasus who had lived his whole life in the great city of Cloudsdale up here in the sky. Legend said that the city had been founded hundreds of years ago by Pegasi fleeing persecution on the earth, and now served as the central hub for all the actions of his proud race. Although the city's magnificent spires and expansive plazas always warmed his heart whenever he saw them, Gabe had known from a young age that the open sky was his domain. When he flew, he could feel the whispers of the four winds and the magnificent touch of the sun. However he could, he flew as often as possible.

Still, the youth of the city were required to endure a requisite course of education here at the Cloudsdale academy, so even though Gabe would have preferred to be just about anywhere else right now, he was stuck here, though only for a few more months. This year was his last, and in a short while, he would finally be free of this place to choose his own destiny. Though he hadn't given all that much thought to what his future might hold in store for him, there was always work to be done somewhere in the city. As long as it offered him ample free time to explore on his own.

Gabe was suddenly jolted from his daydreams by a sharp poke in the shoulder. Slightly disoriented, he gazed lazily about the room, finding it completely deserted, except for the female immediately beside him; the one who had woke him up. With a sudden start, Gabe recognized her as Alicia Kleever, the star student of his graduating class, and a radiant beauty as well. Although Gabe hadn't given much thought to the relationship scene, the sight of Alicia always made him halt momentarily.

"Gabe," she said in a gentle, unassuming tone, "the day's over. I was just about to leave when I saw you slouched over your desk again. You do want to leave, I suppose?"

Gabe nodded, embarrassed and characteristically tongue-tied in front of Alicia. Gathering his things, he rushed out of the room, shortly leaving Alicia and the entire school behind. When he saw the spire of Cloudsdale's GrandTower, he finally felt peaceful again. From the top of the school's hill, he saw the entirety of the great city spread out around him. To the south was the residential quarter, modestly-sized homes arranged in crisp, neat little rows. Most of the residences were unassuming, but a few were marked as larger and more salubrious than the others, those were inhabited by the more famous scholars or athletes among the population. The east was dominated by the central market of the city, an expansive plaza where merchants congregated to trade in their various wares. There was also a secondary square frequented by philosophers and mathematicians in the populace, where they met to discuss theories and propositions. The western quarter contained the government sectors, dominated by the GrandTower, where the office of the current mayor was housed. Cloudsdale was by and large a peaceful city, and required little government intervention to stay that way. Still, a certain amount of public works were required to maintain local infrastructure, and so a bureaucracy had sprung up to cover such expenses.

But by far the brightest and most hallowed area of the city was the northern quarter, which housed the flight school and athletic training grounds. Each month, an open race was held, for all the population to view, a celebration of the accomplishments of the people. The area was forever dotted with various obstacles and training apparatuses, as the best and brightest worked day in and day out to hone their skills and become the local heroes, if only for the month that they were champion.

But even though Gabe was reasonably skilled in flight, he had never attempted to achieve fame on the track. As far as he was concerned, flying was just an escape, a way to leave behind the trials and tribulations of normal life and glide effortlessly towards the horizon. Now that he was outside, he wasted no time in depositing his belongings in a nearby drop box and taking to the skies, flying a lazy slant away from the city and into the blue beyond.

As he swooped along, Gabe felt the problems of his life melt away. Out here there was just him and the four winds, free to choose their own directions and objectives. Although students his age were warned not to fly too far, Gabe had an infallible sense of direction and had never gotten lost out in the sky, so he went where he pleased.

Cruising along at a gentle pace, he listened to the whispers of the four winds as they whistled past his face, caressing his light mane and whipping on by. Gabe sometimes felt as if the winds were the only entities that really understood him, as no one else back in the city seemed to be able to relate to him. Everyone else was always rushing towards individual problems and objectives, and couldn't be bothered to just stop and enjoy life for a moment. Today, the winds seemed talkative, even a little chatty, although Gabe couldn't quite make out the subject of their restlessness. Gazing around, he recognized landmarks that he had marked for personal navigation. Seeing the elevation of the sun, he realized that it was getting late, and that he would have to make for home soon. Even an exact internal compass could only serve so well when there was no light to navigate by, after all.

Sighing, he turned back towards Cloudsdale. While executing the turn (which he embellished with a small loop), he inadvertently spied the ground below, just a haze of green and blue from this altitude. The learned elders of the city insisted that their people had been forced into the sky by the prejudiced earth-dwellers, and that there would be no sense in ever returning. While Gabe had not considered the subject at much length before, seeing it now, it did not appear to him to be all that bad of a place. Still, life up here in the clouds was perfect. He had a good home, a loving family, a future to look forward to, and most importantly, easy access to his skies.

Landing back atop the hill he had originally departed from, Gabe retrieved his belongings from the drop box, and began making his way south, towards his family's home. Seeing how late it was, he realized that he had probably already missed the nightly meal, and his parents were probably worried about where he could be. Of course, staying out late in the sky was not new for him, but neither of them had quite gotten used to it yet, nor would they ever, from the way things had been going. Breaking into a slight jog, Gabe headed for home.

That day, back on the ground:

There was a small village just on the boundaries of the great forests of the Equestrian frontier. In ages past, it had served as something of a staging ground for followers of the Order of Earth, acting as a go-between for the secretive adepts and the outside world. With the decline of the order, local trade in the area had fallen, but citizens were hopeful with the rise of the Princesses that things would soon turn around.

The Royal Geographical Commission had recently made its visit to the area, finally arriving in this back country after years spent charting the various provinces of the kingdom. The Name Suggestion Referendum had been a subdued affair, with only a scarce few names being suggested. At the moment, it appeared likely that the village would be officially named Ponyville.

Although shreds of optimism remained in the population, the village had fallen on hard times for dozens of years after the formal dissolution of the Order of Earth. The natural mystics had retreated impenetrably into their forest, and no longer emerged to trade with the locals for the wares they required to live comfortably. With the primary local trade now gone, the village economy had collapsed, resulting in a migration towards the new Equestrian cities that Celestia had commissioned. Even so, there were those who remained behind in the town, stubbornly refusing to give up what they had worked for.

Genevieve de Cassie's parents constituted one such family. With a line stretching back untold generations to the founding of the kingdom, Armand de Cassie would have rather died than give up what his family had worked to create. Although his locally produced baked goods could now only be sold locally and barely created enough revenue for his wife and daughter to survive, it was all he had ever known, and so he continued with it. For their part, Violet and Genevieve tended the crops needed to supply Armand's bakery, and lived happily enough in the family's small home.

Today was just another day for Genevieve, tending the family's small plot just outside the village's perimeter. It was nearing time for the harvest to begin, and Genevieve was in among the rows, picking out larger weeds and watching for signs of disease. She felt right with the earth between her hooves, and the sun beating down upon her neck. She might even go so far as to say that she would be happy doing this for the rest of her life, although she did sense that her mother and father wanted more for her than a life spent toiling away to scratch an existence in Ponyville.

As the sun crawled below the trees, she stretched out her back and began picking her way back to the farmhouse. Like many of the buildings in Ponyville, it was a wood-frame building, although it had seen better days. The paint was peeling and the porch wood was slowly rotting away, but it was all that the family had ever known, and Genevieve felt it carried a certain cozy homeliness. As she trudged inside the back door and took in the crisp aroma of the night's meal (already prepared and waiting on the table), she couldn't resist a contented sigh.

Sidling up to the table, Genevieve noted her father and mother were already there waiting for her. Violet and Armand de Cassie made an interesting pair, especially since Violet, despite carrying herself regally in public, was usually stained with dirt from days spent in the field, while Armand, who cared little for appearances and so was much more of a slouch, had to keep himself clean for work and so was usually very presentable.

However, as had become the pattern of late, both had downtrodden expressions on their faces as the evening meal began, and very little was spoken during the course of supper. As Armand took out his pipe following the meal, Genevieve could tell that he was stewing something on his mind. Hoping to initiate some conversation for once, she spoke up softly. "Father, you have had something on your mind all evening. Did something happen at work today?"

It seemed as though Armand had been waiting for an excuse to set off. Now having it, he began. "No my daughter, it is not something that happened that has me upset, it is something that has not happened, in that customers have not been coming. This month has been one of our worst on record; as the population of the town has continued to decline, so has our market. If things keep up in this manner, we won't be able to last much longer."

Violet was always on hand to quell her husband's dark moods, and spoke up now. "Armand, I have heard this sort of language from you before, and we have gotten through our troubles each time. Surely things cannot be as bad as you say." She moved to embrace her husband, but he stood up and gazed out the front window.

"I don't know this time, sweetheart. I was speaking to Franklin the other day and he said that the government would be turning the whole of this area to farmland and expropriating the town. They just don't see anything worthwhile around here anymore."

At this Genevieve stood up. "Surely they can't do that! This land has been with our family for generations!"

Her father offered her a gentle smile, but Genevieve could tell that his eyes remained far off. "Indeed, I would rather die than see this land producing for someone else, but the Princess requires more production for the burgeoning urban centers. Just last year, it was Stockton that got repurposed, and now I fear it is all too real a possibility that it will happen here."

That night, Genevieve thought long and hard about the possibilities for her family's future. If they were forced to give up all that they had ever known, it would ruin them. She did not care for what the Princess or the urban centers required. By rights, they should have the authority to decide what happened to their own land, land that had been tended by her grandfather, and his grandfather before him, and so on back as far as history had been kept. Her family, as well as all the families in the area deserved at least that much respect.


	3. Chapter 3: A Day at the Cafe

**Chapter 3: A Day at the Café**

The following day, Genevieve finished early in the fields, and so went for a walk in the town, hoping to find some of her friends while on her off-time. Strolling about the village square, she made note of how deserted the place had seemed of late. Every month, there were less and less customers, both local and from out of town. Slowly, the village was shriveling up and dying, as family after family sought a better life in the cities. If the rumors were true, it wouldn't be long until the government bought up the land and bulldozed it into farmland, before selling it to an entrepreneur that could manage production for them.

But Genevieve didn't think that any of that was absolutely necessary. The previous night, she had been inflamed by passion, and had simply wished with all her heart that her family could keep control of its land. In the light of day, she realized that the only way to make that happen would be to fix the underlying problems. The village must contribute something to the national economy, rather than attempting to subsist on itself, she realized. If the government saw the locals as providing a useful service, surely they would be allowed to continue.

The transformation of Ponyville from a local, homegrown economy into an efficient, market-oriented production center would be difficult, she knew. It would require the population to unite under a singular purpose. But Genevieve knew in her heart that it could be done, preventing the need for any drastic measures. With this new resolve in mind, she set about laying the groundwork for a plan.

She found the rest of her social circle in the one place she knew they would be: crowded around their usual table in the local café. Even though the day was wrapping up, the place was still fairly busy, as it was the unofficial meeting-place in the village, and several other groups huddled over their own tables, taking occasional sips from steaming mugs.

As Genevieve sank into the sole remaining spot at the table, she glanced around at the group, noting how each one would factor into the grand design she was building.

First, there was Gus Green, a light brown male of about her own age, and the son of the proprietor of the café. Even though it was about the only business in the community that still turned a reliable profit, Gus and his family were not aloof from the rest of the village, instead providing their service at a reduced fee to those who were less fortunate. Gus' father was well-respected throughout the town, and when he spoke, people listened intently.

Secondly, there was Samuel Southers, a slightly older male who was in the unique position of having a family split between the urban centers and this rural area. Several years ago, his father had left the town pursuing a position within the government in Canterlot. However, the old stallion still kept ties with his family strong, sending money and news back as often as he could. For this reason, Samuel was often looked on as the local source for information about the world at large. In the same way, he would probably be able to find out all about the government's plans for this area.

Lastly, there was Allie Adams, who had been Genevieve's closest friend as far back as she could remember. The Adams family residence was immediately next door to that of the de Cassie family, and the neighbors had grown together over many years. Genevieve had always been able to count on Allie as a stalwart and strong friend, and Allie had always been able to lean on Genevieve's intuition and understanding to get them out of any jams.

Today, the conversation was naturally about the state of the town and local affairs. The rumor that expropriation was on the horizon had spread throughout the population, and all eyes had naturally turned to Samuel. At the moment, he had nothing to say about it, although he promised to have his father look into the matter. Even as Genevieve arrived at the table, the conversation remained somewhat muted. Every single pony in the room had a lifetime to lose if the land was repurposed, and all seemed content to contemplate their circumstances rather than do anything about it. But Genevieve would have none of that.

Seeing no reason to start with small talk, Genevieve got right to the point. "Why are you all sitting here moping when there's work to be done? We can't very well just let the government come in here and walk all over us, can we?" She punctuated this by banging her hoof on the table, immediately perking up the others.

Gus was the first to reply. "What's there to do? We've all heard the tales of how this happened in places like Stockton. The government doesn't care what we have to say. They've got their own agenda and objectives. Whatever needs to be done for the Princess, they take care of it."

"Whatever they have to do, it will be done, regardless of anything we have to say," put in Samuel, nodding. "One thing Father has told me is that this sort of thing has become common throughout the rural provinces. There's a strict protocol in place, and nothing we can do to change it."

Naturally, Allie bristled slightly at these comments. She always had been one to hold strongly to her ideals. "First of all, you two are acting like we know what's going to happen, which we don't. And secondly, I know Genevieve, and she wouldn't make a statement like that just to blow some smoke. You've got a plan, right?"

"Indeed I do, Allie, and it most certainly will not involve the eradication of this town. It is really quite simple. All we have to do is show the government that we can produce what they desire on our own, without having the land managed by the big-city corporations. It will be difficult, but far better than giving up all that we have here."

Samuel sat up thoughtfully. "Demonstrate to them that we can give them what they desire, eh? From what I hear, all that the government wants is more food for the urban populations. But turning this countryside entirely into productive farmland would take a great deal of time and investment."

"Still, less time and investment than would be required to relocate this village and buy up the land," countered Genevieve. "Phrased properly, the government is sure to see that this would be a superior option to the standard protocol. They would save time and money, as well as the good opinions of us locals. There is a senatorial election upcoming."

"But even then," added Gus, "you would require an unprecedented amount of cooperation from the townsfolk. Everyone would have to give up their regular jobs to till the land and prepare the exports."

"What choice will they have?" challenged Genevieve. "If it came down to a choice between staying here and doing whatever it took to preserve our rights to this land, or laying down and taking the easy way out, I would stay the course no matter what, and I'm sure that everyone else in this town would say the same thing."

Glancing around the table, she could see that all the others agreed with her in their own unique way, and would be able to help her in implementing the plan. Now, all she needed was to get the message out to the rest of the villagers. She was just about to get out of her seat when Gus' father Michael, the proprietor of the establishment, arrived with refills for their drinks. As he finished pouring the beverages, he turned to the group with an odd expression. "I couldn't help but overhear some of the conversation from this table," he said in a low voice. "Talk like that might be just the sort of thing this place needs, but be careful if you pursue this sort of path. Folks can get unpredictable when they're up against the wall. In any event, I think that you should be the first ones to see this." He deposited a thin roll of paper onto their table from within one of his shirt pockets. Picking up his platter, he walked off without a further word.

Inquisitively, Genevieve picked up the scroll, unrolling it into a moderately-sized poster. She gasped when she saw the official royal seal adorning its lower-right hand corner. Whatever this was, it was certainly important. Slowly, she began reading it to her friends.

"An announcement to the citizens of the village of Ponyville, to be posted on the date of July 14th, in the 301st year of the reign of the great Princess Celestia, or as soon as possible afterwards. Dearest citizens, in the interest of the continued prosperity of the kingdom of Equestria, and the sustained peace and security of the population, it has become necessary that the land within the province of Ponyville, stretching from the boundaries of the Eastern Forest to the 50th charted parallel, come under the control of the Crown, to be repurposed for agricultural business. All citizens that own plots of the land in question shall be duly compensated for their holdings, at a rate of 125% estimated value. In addition, all citizens who currently make their residences within the affected areas will be compensated for their holdings by the same rate, and will have one week from the date of posting to vacate the area. Housing will be provided for those that have no other residences, and shall be available upon request from the nearest county registrar's office. Any citizens that refuse to evacuate will be evicted by force after midnight on July 21st.

"The Princess extends her sincerest sympathies to all the families affected by this turn of events. However, citizens should remember that this action has been taken with the good of the country as a whole in mind.

"In addition, there will be a public hearing concerning the issue three nights before the evacuation deadline, within such premises as are available at the time. Should anyone wish to air a grievance or have their questions concerning the process answered, a representative of the Princess will be on hand to dispense such information."

Finishing, she rolled up the parchment, returning it to the center of the table. Her friends all remained silent in their seats. Genevieve could sympathize with them at the moment. Although they had all suspected it was coming, before now talk of the issue had been purely hypothetical. Now that they knew the threat was real, and frighteningly close at hand, some consternation was understandable.

Still, Genevieve looked at the coming week as one of opportunity. The nearness of the deadline would crystallize the issue in the minds of the townsfolk, bringing the problem immediately to hand. It would galvanize them to do what was needed, and get them onto her side. All she would have to do then was go into that hearing with a plan and the support of the populace, and surely the representatives would see the advantages of changing the protocol.

"Gus," she spoke up quickly, "which day is it today?"

"Today is the 13th of July," remarked the taciturn male, "meaning we have eight days to formalize our plans and rally the townsfolk before the deadline."

"Correction," added Allie. "We have to be ready for the hearing, which gives us only five days, and this one is almost done."

"Alright then," said Genevieve in a commanding tone. "We all have our parts to play now. All of us need to go home and tell our families what we are doing. If possible, get some time off your daily chores to come here and formalize our plan. And make sure you tell anyone you know that there will be a meeting here two hours before the formal hearing, so that we can get the opinion of the general population and have them sign our petition to prove it. Then all of us are going to march down to that hearing to make sure that our plan is voiced. Together, we're going to stop this thing."

With assured nods, the four of them made their way out into the darkening town, intent on their objectives. Genevieve herself made her way back towards her house, taking in the night sky as the stars rose above the village. Together, she just knew that this town had what was needed to save itself; it was just a matter of coaxing it out.


	4. Chapter 4: Storm Clouds

****[A/N: I would like to thank everyone out there who has taken the time to read these stories. Any review or comment is appreciated, even a few sentences go a long way! I guess now would be a reasonable time to explain some little details about the style. Some may have noticed that all the characters in here have names that are, well, just names, while the in-universe convention for MLP appears to be giving characters names that are indicative of their personalities. I am circumventing this convention mainly to make the story more accessible to those unfamiliar with the series. Just in case anyone was wondering. Anyway, please do enjoy this next chapter.]

**Chapter 4: Storm Clouds**

Gabe Sotheby awoke slowly from his peaceful rest. The light of dawn had just begun to creep into the loft he inhabited inside his parent's house. Standing up straight and stretching himself out, Gabe gazed lazily out the window. The far horizon was completely clear, and the sun's light gleamed upon the roofs and streets of the city, casting a heavenly aura about the place. What a wonderful day for flying it was going to be.

Since it was a weekend, Gabe took his time going through his morning routine before coming down for breakfast. He didn't bother to comb his mane, however, as it would be ruffled by the wind soon anyway. With an eager bounce in his step, he came down the stairs, finding his parents engaging in their usual weekend routine, going through the motions of preparing breakfast and planning out their day. He sat at the table for his portion of the weekly rationed breakfast. As Cloudsdale was situated at such an altitude, it was difficult, though not impossible, to grow food. As such, the operation was handled by the public service, and meals were rationed out to citizens on a weekly basis. Even though the food got a bit monotonous after some time, no one ever complained. By now, it was all they had ever known.

"So," remarked Gabe's father, "got any big plans for the weekend?"

"Nothing much, I guess." Gabe replied. "Thought I'd take to the skies today, maybe catch up on some homework this evening."

His father nodded, but Gabe caught the glance that passed between his parents in that instant. They were not pleased with such a nonchalant itinerary, nor had they been the previous weekend, or the weekend before that. His mother had been a famed philosopher, and his father was a renowned athlete, three-time monthly champion. Both of them were clearly eager for their son to start making some plans for his own future. Knowing where the conversation would turn from here, he focused on breakfast.

"You know," began his mother, as she had dozens of times before, "in a few months you'll be done with school, and ready to start making a life for yourself. I don't suppose you've given much thought to what sort of life you'd like to live?"

"Nope," he replied. "Something will come along, I'm sure. I've still got my whole life ahead of me, open to whatever I choose. When the time comes, I'll know it." He continued quickly eating his breakfast, eager to get out before the conversation went much farther.

His father stood up from the table, and walked over to the kitchen where his mother stood. Speaking as he rummaged about in a cupboard, he continued with the routine speech. "Well Gabe, your mother and I respect that decision of yours. This is your life to live. It's just that sometimes opportunities don't just come up and knock you over. You have to go out and find them for yourself, or else you wouldn't even know they were there." Coming back to his son's side, he laid a hoof on Gabe's shoulder. "Tell you what, I was speaking to Todd the other day, and he said there were some openings in the printing trade. How about you and I go down to the market this afternoon and try it out?"

Coming over to the table, his mother chimed in. "It would only be a tryout. Just to get some information on what the trade is like."

Hastily wiping the remnants of breakfast from his face, Gabe got up from the table and made for the door. "Well Dad, that does sound pretty interesting, but I promised the, uh, guys that I'd go out with them this afternoon, so I'm afraid I can't. See you around!" And with that, he was gone. His parents exchanged a knowing look, well aware that he had made no such promises, but unable to broach their true fears with him.

As Gabe climbed up into the sky, his mind roiled with his parents' words, as it always did on a day like today. He had seen the anxiety on their faces, and he did feel at least a little bit guilty, because there was a part of him that knew they were right. Gabe only had three months left before he was done with school, and it would be expected that he would contribute something to society at that point. As it stood, he hadn't the faintest idea where his future might lead. Perhaps now was the time to start thinking about such things.

Gabe flew a lazy circuit through the sky as he slowly left Cloudsdale behind. Along the way, he ran into a few of the older, more experienced fliers, who were also out enjoying their day off. All of them knew him by sight, and offered advice about where the updrafts were best, as well as a warning about possible rain later in the day. Gabe passed by all of them with only a nod of the head. The sky was his domain, and nothing would stop him from enjoying it. He had a particular destination in mind today, a secluded corner of the atmosphere where he often set down to think about things, sometimes for hours at a time.

Glancing about to ascertain his position, Gabe continued his course due east. The winds whistled in his mind like always, and he sensed a certain violent potential to them. Lately, he had begun to realize that the sounds of the winds followed distinct patterns, indicative of the weather. Certain atmospheric activities had their own unique sounds, almost like words in a language of the sky. Given some more time to study it, Gabe wondered if he might be able to definitively ascertain the various sounds, but for now they all merged together into a reassuring melody in his ears.

Finding his favorite spot deserted as it always was, Gabe flew a final loop to check on the surrounding sky. A thunderhead was indeed brewing in the distance, but it was a few hours off, and he could be long gone before the storm hit. And so he set down on his favorite spot, admiring the sun as it shone through the clouds in the area. Now, he thought, time to make some consideration for my parents…

Several Hours Later

Ten minutes ago, Gabe had suddenly woken up from his slumber to find the air a tumult of rain and wind. Silently, he had berated himself for the ill-advised nap. With the storm about to hit, and by all indications, hit hard, he had a decision to make. He could stay here and ride out the storm, which was definitely the safe option, or attempt to make it home before the tempest hit. Confident in his navigational abilities and eager to get home to avoid the downpour, he had taken to the skies and started heading for home.

Now, as Gabe sped along the route, the sky darkened continuously, and thunder rolled just behind him. As the sun had now been obscured, he could barely see where he was headed, and for the first time, he began to fear getting lost in the storm. Lighting crackled, momentarily lighting his way for just a second, before being again replaced by the crushing darkness and a thick rumble of thunder that seemed to come from all around him. Rain drenched him in a sudden downpour, as the winds began to buffet him in a constant swirl. Gabe struggled to keep his sense of direction in the tumult.

Fighting the pull of the wind, Gabe kept a straight course, though where he was going he was no longer certain of. The penetrating darkness of the storm and the swirling winds had him disoriented, and for the first time, Gabe felt truly frightened for his own safety. He felt himself on the verge of panic. The sound of the wind, usually reassuring, had instead re-formed itself into a penetratingly deep rumble inside his head, a constantly repeating sequence of tones. The sounds jarred his thoughts away from the situation for a moment, and Gabe let them pass through him, feeling their power. He wondered what they could be. Was this the word for the winds of storm, in the mysterious language of the sky? Could he use it?

As he felt the strength in his wings deteriorating, he knew he wouldn't be able to stay aloft much longer. Already he was slowly drifting lower, weighed down by the heavy rains and malevolent wind. In a desperate position, he knew that this word would have to be his last gamble. Focusing once again on the sound within his mind, he listened to it carefully. A simple repetitive sequence of bass tones, earth-shaking in their power, but not overly complex in style, he realized. Composing himself, he began slowly and firmly, letting his voice rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the storm. Immediately he felt a change, as the winds no longer beat his body around roughly, instead flowing around and embracing him almost lovingly.

This small victory emboldened him further, and he continued mimicking the sound of the storm, letting more vocal power slip into the words. Though he was drowned out by the sound of the storm, he felt almost as though the clouds and the rain were becoming part of him, rather than his enemies. Whereas before they barred his way and tossed him about, now they almost pushed him towards his goal. Feeling confidence grow, he let loose a full-throated shout in time with the wind, and felt the edge of the storm roll up in front of him like a curtain. Illuminated for a moment in a bright flash of lightning, he saw the city, tantalizingly close, perhaps within reach. With a final yell, he shot out of the storm like a stone from a sling, speeding along his way home. The storm closed up behind him, continuing on its way like a hulking behemoth.

As he felt the reverberations of the storm slowly fade within his mind, he was suddenly taken with an overwhelming exhaustion. Navigating the storm had taken more out of him than he had felt at the time, and looking now at the outline of Cloudsdale on the horizon, he knew that he wasn't going to make it back.

This left only one alternative: falling to the surface below. Gabe had no idea what to expect as he drifted slowly downwards, struggling on each stroke of his wings to maintain altitude. As the blurry colors of the world below shaped themselves into recognizable outlines, he spotted a small village lit up for the coming darkness. Feeling his last strength leave him, Gabe made for the village.

As his wings finally gave out, and he felt darkness begin creeping through the edges of his vision, Gabe hoped fervently that whatever he found down on the surface would be enough for him to live with. His last thoughts were for his parents, and how they would react to news that he had been lost. He wished them all the best in their futures. In that moment, everything went black.

Five Minutes Later, On the Surface

Genevieve was seated on the back porch waiting for the storm to hit. She had always enjoyed watching storms when she was younger, as the power of the natural world was on full display, and the growling of thunder sent chills down her spine. Unfortunately, the rain was not welcome tonight, as the café had closed early, and each of her friends had been occupied with preparing for the storm with their own families.

Still, the proposal had been coming along well thus far. Everyone that she had talked to seemed wholeheartedly in favor of the idea, at least when faced with the prospect of losing their property entirely. In a few days, the meeting would go ahead, and Genevieve was sure that she would have no problem rallying the townsfolk to her cause.

As Genevieve gazed up at the sky, a bolt of lighting flickered on the horizon, casting the nearby area in deep and sharp shadows. Suddenly, she noticed a strange sight. A vaguely pony-like form was falling on a steep arc towards their property, caught in silhouette by the lightning. In shock, Genevieve watched as it continued to fall, arcing swiftly to the ground in the distance. Even though it was beginning to spit rain, Genevieve knew that she had to investigate. Calling for her parents, she galloped off into the field.

From the little she had seen, it seemed as though the object had landed in the area of the pond in back of their property. If it had landed in the water, she knew there was a chance it was still alive, if it was indeed a living thing. These may indeed be strange times, she realized, but ponies falling from the sky? The concept seemed immediately laughable. Still, if there was any chance that this creature needed her help, Genevieve was going to be there to offer it.

Cresting the small hill that hid the pond from the view of the house, Genevieve came down to the water's edge. In the flicker of the lightning, she could see the creature lying face-up in the shallow water, and she could tell that it was indeed a pony, but like none that she had ever seen, as two graceful wings were folded against its back. Still, it appeared relatively unharmed, a virtual miracle given its lengthy fall. Genevieve waded out into the water, and was struck by the serenity that she saw on the face of the male, who appeared to be about her own age. Despite what had obviously been a harrowing experience, the unconscious victim appeared supremely peaceful, almost content. Still, the rest of his body showed obvious bruises and cuts, so Genevieve took hold of him and carefully hauled him back to the shore, where Armand and Violet now stood.

Seeing the wings that adorned the back of the stranger, Armand was visibly shaken. He hastily spoke a few words into Violet's ear, before hoisting the unconscious newcomer onto his back and starting to head for home. As they walked, Violet spoke to Genevieve in reassuring tones, congratulating her on her sharp eyesight, and letting her know that they were going to do everything that they could to help the poor male. In fact, it was likely that all he required was a few days of rest and recuperation. But Genevieve detected a faint undertone of fear in her mother's words, as well as in her father's stoic and silent demeanor. Whatever this unfortunate newcomer was, he was not just a fellow that needed a little rest and relaxation; of that she was sure.


	5. Chapter 5: The New Canterlot

****[A/N: Thanks everyone for bearing with me here. This past week has been real busy, but I think that if things keep up as they have been, I should be able to get a new chapter out once every week or so. So here's the thing. From here on out, some of what I think might turn out to be controversial content will be added in here. If you ever have a question concerning my rationale for including particular element, or would like to point a spot where I have glaringly contradicted the established canon, don't hesitate to send me a message, or drop a review. I'm trying to stay as close as possible to established origin stories and such, so any help in that regard would be most appreciated. Anyway, as usual, reviews and comments are always great to get.

Please do enjoy this chapter.]

**Chapter 5: The New Canterlot**

Princess Luna kept her head down and stayed quiet as she passed under the striking vaulted gateway that separated Canterlot from the rest of the world. Because most of her work was done behind the scenes, it was necessary that the Princess keep a low profile, especially when in among the general public. Although it would have been easy to disguise her appearance with magic, Luna preferred the rather old-fashioned method of simply being unassuming. It served to keep her alert at all times.

As she calmly picked her way through the bustling streets, Luna admired the transformation that the city had undergone from its formerly destitute state. Even though it had been over 300 years since that time, the city had still not reached the full potential of Celestia's vision for its future. Even now, work crews continued to expand the city's parks, refinish its crumbling facades, and feverishly build the towering spires of Canterlot Castle ever higher. Every corner of the new city spoke of power and grandeur, from the shining walls and colorfully painted columns of the fine buildings, to the hoof-etched flagstones that covered the streets and city squares. If Luna and her sister were to pass from this world any time soon, she felt that the magnificence of this city would in itself be a fitting legacy.

Of course, such passage would not be happening for a long while, especially given Celestia's eternal watch for potential threats. The ability to magically extend a lifespan had been known since ancient times, although it had been one of the most closely-guarded secrets of the old Order of Water, never used except in times of extreme duress. The main problem was that casting the spell required a proportional expenditure of energy, and each time the magic was used, the energy requirements grew. So it was relatively easy to extend one's life for several hundred years, but anything beyond that would begin to tax the reserves of a single mind, requiring external sources. Thankfully for both Celestia and Luna, the Elements of Harmony also seemed capable of stretching the lives of those who wielded them, and provided a nearly infinite source of energy besides.

As Luna's meandering course took her up the winding avenue that led to Canterlot Castle proper, she passed by several stands and booths advertising the latest candidates for the local senatorial position. The need for a governmental council was something that both the Princesses had recognized shortly after taking office, as the various administrative issues that arose from a country the size of Equestria could not be handled by only two individuals, especially since Celestia also had to perform ceremonial duties and appear at public events for the good of the populace.

And so they had implemented the democratically elected senate, expressly responsible for administering the bureaucracy that sprung up to handle public works and expenditures. Of course, Celestia had limited their power, ensuring both Princesses held an express veto on all initiatives. Fearing the possibilities that came from any one citizen accruing both political and magical power, the Princess had also banned any unicorn from running for public office.

As Luna approached the imposing security gates that had been erected around the castle grounds, she was forced to lift her dark traveling cloak for a second, so as to identify herself to the guards. Convinced, the two Astrala parted reverently to allow her passage, before once again assuming rigidly intimidating postures.

Stopping for a second to admire the grounds of the castle, Luna gazed upward at the colorful pointed towers. In fact, the architects hadn't needed to perform all that much work to convert the castle into the Princesses' home. Discord's original design, despite its wayward look, was actually remarkably structurally sound, and required only a fresh coat of paint and some aesthetic embellishment to be fit for public review. The only entirely new structure was the ivory tower that glistened to the far right of the compound. The main headquarters of the Royal Order of Starlight was pointed toward the heavens like an ivory spike, and crowned with an enormous silver statue of Celestia herself, wings outstretched to embrace the morning sun. Once each year on the anniversary of her fateful speech in the square, Celestia held a ceremony in which she repeated the awesome spectacle, reminding the masses of the royal family's power.

Eager students bustled around beneath the school's arches and on its front lawns. Averting her eyes, Luna continued to make her way through the grounds. Although the school was a noble office, it had lately become a symbol for her of everything she regretted about the choices she had made.

Originally created to house the adepts of the old Four Orders that were sympathetic to their cause, the Order of Starlight had lately become merely a political tool, a diversion for the ambitious unicorns among the population. The unicorn race, traditionally aloof from the other pony tribes, had of course cried foul at their exclusion from government. To combat the problem, Celestia had made access to the order restricted to unicorns only, giving them something else to feel superior about. Rather than having to worry about the trivial matters that beset the "common folk", the proud unicorns were able to study the intricacies of magic under the renowned sisters' auspices. It was all merely a part of Celestia's cunning plan to keep politics and magic separate at all times.

Of course, initiates to the order were always taken at a young, impressionable age, and were exposed to copious amounts of propaganda to ensure their continued loyalty to the Crown. Graduates of the academy were immediately snapped up by the military apparatus, or became employed as local public servants to the numerous towns and villages that could benefit from them. After a childhood spent in study and reverence, such ponies were often fanatical followers of Celestia's every word, and Luna knew they would gladly sacrifice themselves for her if the opportunity ever arose.

It wasn't that Luna quite regretted the paths that she and her sister had walked since assuming power over this country. Lately, however, she had began to feel a certain emptiness creep into her soul whenever she was in Canterlot. This city, meant as a shining jewel of enlightenment for the whole population, simply reminded her of her childhood spent scraping out every inch of her existence. In addition, Celestia had become increasingly removed from society in recent months, often keeping interaction with others, even her own sister, to a minimum. Luna couldn't blame her. She felt the responsibilities of an entire population settling on her shoulders, and that was something that no one else could truly understand.

Stepping finally over the threshold of the castle and into the cavernous Great Hall, Luna finally allowed herself the luxury of removing her hood and cloak. Stretching out her neck, she strode regally through the hall, admiring the newly installed stained glass windows depicting the history of her and Celestia's reign. Naturally, most of the windows were still empty, waiting for victories and ceremonies in the future. Approaching the great dais upon which sat the Two Thrones of Equestria, Luna was not surprised to find both of them deserted. Celestia rarely used the throne room except for public events, and was usually only to be found high in her conservatory, contemplating the future and planning out the next stages of her myriad plans.

On her way up the tower, Luna stopped briefly inside her own office, a few floors beneath Celestia's conservatory. Her sister rarely liked to bother with trivial conversation, and so long as she was here, Luna felt as though she may as well get caught up on the various administrative issues going on throughout the kingdom. Although the office was small and unobtrusive, Luna had garnished the space with several personal touches, including a scale replica of the Equestrian moon which sat in the corner. The office was almost like her home here in Canterlot, as she had never quite gotten used to the opulence offered by her designated royal chambers.

Finding several new reports stacked neatly on her desk, Luna took time to read and understand all of them. The agricultural situation had not improved, and food prices in the main cities continued to rise, although they were being kept reasonable by governmental subsidies. The situation was only being exacerbated by the weather, as the harvest had once again been impacted by an early frost and persistent rain that was keeping the crop in the field. Luna gazed wistfully out the window for a moment, admiring the clouds on the horizon. It had been said in her youth that the Pegasi had once known how to control the weather, but the art had been forgotten during the long night of Discord's rule. In any event, the Pegasi had long ago exiled themselves in the sky after being threatened by Celestia's dissolution of the Order of Air. Without them, the only solution to the problem was a more robust production base and more reserve capacity. Luna made a mental note to enforce more expropriations in the rural backcountry.

Resealing all the reports and placing them into their respective bins and cabinets, Luna finally began the trek up the long spiraling staircase to her sister's private quarters. Occupying the uppermost levels of the highest tower in the castle, the private chambers housed the royal bedroom in addition to Celestia's personal library and study room. There was also a small meeting room for private briefings and a small salon for entertaining distinguished guests. The roof could be accessed only by a magically locked door, opening out into a small and open space where Celestia practiced her own magical spells and worked to improve her personal powers. All of this was hidden behind one unassuming door at the peak of the staircase. At least, as unassuming as a door could be with a squad of stone-faced soldiers guarding it at all hours.

As she approached the door, the Astrala parted to allow her entrance. Finding it unlocked, she entered slowly into the salon, not wanting to disturb her sister if important work was being done. When the door closed behind her with a decisive _click_, Luna took in the resounding silence of the area. The wind whistled outside, stronger at this altitude than it had been on the ground. However today, something was off about the normally quiet and organized space. Climbing up to the small kitchen, Luna found glass shards and water on the floor, seemingly from a spilled drink. Above her head, she heard a small sound piercing through the sepulchral silence. Was that… sobbing?

Filled with a sudden concern, Luna raced up the stairs to the private loft. Antique mirrors and windows reflected her concerned visage as the sounds grew in intensity. Finally arriving in the enclosed space, Luna scanned the room. The visual style was, of course, stark white, with white plush carpeting encircling an enormous white four-poster bed, its sheets tossed and unkempt at the moment. Atop a nearby nightstand sat the royal crown that Celestia wore in public, as well as another one of her more prized possessions, the rock that she had originally retrieved as part of her initiation into the Order of Water, so many years ago. However, today Luna's eyes were drawn instead to the form of her sister, who has hunched over in a corner, and clearly weeping uncontrollably. Her normally carefree features were wracked with pain, and her brow was furrowed deeply.

Rushing to her sister's side, Luna grabbed hold of Celestia's front hoof, holding on tightly. "Sister!" she cried, getting her sister's attention. "I'm here. What's wrong?"

With one look, Celestia's eyes said it all. In obvious discomfort, Celestia spoke, "The nightmares again."

In a flash, Luna understood. Ever since her magic had first been awoken in the mountains, Celestia had been haunted by dogged nightmares that seemed prophetic in content. Lately, they had also manifested with severe headaches that persisted long after Celestia woke up. Today's affliction seemed worse than before, though.

Knowing there was little that could be done; Luna continued staring into her sister's eyes, offering comfort in her warm gaze. Although she knew the general sequence of the events, she offered Celestia the chance to explain the dream, as talking about it usually alleviated the symptoms.

Choking back a final sob, Celestia slowly began to retell the story. It always began with the green meadow. Birds chirped, water tinkled over rocks, and the world was at peace. In the distance, she saw the restored city of Canterlot, magnificent in the noonday sun. Then, in a flash, the pleasant atmosphere was replaced by one of panic and distress, as the bright sky became a suffocating darkness. Over the hill, Canterlot continued to glow, but now it was because the entire city was engulfed in flame. The tall towers smoked and steamed, while screams of panic cut through the night air. Each time, Celestia would try to reach the city, but would be repulsed by the heat.

Then, she would be transported away from the place, to the peak of a mountain in a dark world. Before her wound a steep and narrow path, with yawning abysses on both sides. In the distance, she could see that the path converged to a bright shining light, the sight of which gave her hope, and emboldened her to set out on the journey. She felt that if she could just reach that light, then she could use it to help the city in this time of need.

Before long, she encountered another steep mountain to the right of the path, atop which sat an image of Seraph, his face horrifically burned and his mane ensconced in flames. Laughing maniacally, he would launch fireballs and explosive projectiles into her path, but she would pass them by with little effort, keeping her gaze fixed on the bright light in the distance. Soon another mountain appeared, this one to her left and adorned with a chilling image of The Emperor, again throwing out projectiles in an attempt to bar her way. Again, she would bypass the obstacle, eventually arriving at the high peak from which the light shone. However, as she approached the light, it drew back from her, growing smaller and collapsing on itself.

Intent on reaching the light, Celestia would press on, eager to have it and use it to alleviate the suffering of those who dwelt in the burning city. But no matter how hard she tried, the light continued to shrink before her eyes. In addition, a simmering pain began to grow at the base of her skull, intensifying each time she pressed forward to obtain the light. Eventually, the pain would become unbearable, causing her to wake with a start, often in a cold sweat, and sometimes shouting unintelligibly.

As her sister continued to compose herself, Luna suddenly realized that this was a view of the Princess that few would ever receive. In public, Celestia was always completely composed, with nary a hair out of place. It was only when she came up here that she could let her true self come through. The pressure might in fact have been what was getting to her. Perhaps, it was time for the both of them to take a vacation.

Distracted for a moment, Celestia once again gazed up. "Luna," she said slowly and quietly. "Tonight I got farther than I ever have, which is, I realize, why the pain is so much worse. I … saw … the _source_ of the light. Six … ponies, I think."

"Did you recognize any of them?"

"No. I … could not even determine their distinct subspecies. But I am certain that they were causing the pain. I … must determine what they represent. I … must …"

"Hold it there, sister." Luna spoke reassuringly. "What you need to do right now is get some rest. It wouldn't do for anyone else to see you like this." Guiding her elder sister to an upright position, Luna helped her back into the bed, arranging the sheets into a comfortable position.

With her eyes half closed, Celestia spoke to her sister one last time, the concern in her voice evident. "Luna…" she said in a voice so soft that Luna could barely hear it, "you know I can't lose you…" And with that, she was asleep again, peaceful once more.

Luna, meanwhile, gazed somberly out the window, as all of Canterlot spread out beneath her, and the horizon stretched out to comprise the entirety of Equestria. No sister, she thought, the two of us will forever be inseparable, in all things for the good of the people of our great kingdom.


	6. Chapter 6: Bark & Bite

****[A/N: I know that I promised one chapter a week, but lately I find that I've been writing a lot more than that, which is good I guess. Partly it's because I've had some free time, but mainly it's because I'm just so excited to get on to some of the later content in store for the remaining Acts. Acts III, IV, and V will all be parts of a larger story, and will involve some characters that most of you are probably familiar with, though they will be placed in some novel situations. But there will also be some new characters, probably showing up in an unexpected place. Seriously looking forward to some of that stuff. Anyway, as usual, please do enjoy!]

**Chapter 6: Bark & Bite**

The Green family café was full to capacity, including the standing room at the back. A small crowd of those who could not fit inside the structure gathered outside, able to hear the proceedings through the door, which had been propped open. Thankfully, it was a warm evening. Michael Green circulated throughout the tables, delivering refreshments, both hot and cold, to anyone who required them. At the front of the seating area, a small area had been cleared for an improvised podium, at which sat the four local youths responsible for the gathering. Genevieve de Cassie was farthest to the left and immediately behind the lectern. Seated to her right in order were Allie Adams, Samuel Smith, and Gus Green.

The air was very solemn. Most of the gathered families had packed up as many of their belongings as could be carried, and would likely leave town immediately if this proposition failed. Others, however, refused to prepare, either through hope that this gambit would succeed, or else just plain stubbornness.

It was as she sat at the table and studied the crowd that the true meaning of Michael's words from the other day hit home for Genevieve. These ponies had their backs up against the wall. In some, she sensed a brooding violence. Some of them were prepared to fight for what was theirs, even die for it. Of course, Genevieve was sure that such a show would not be required, and honorable though that course may be, it would ultimately be entirely futile. The Princess' army would crush any armed resistance as if it were merely an insect. No, diplomacy was the only real answer.

When precisely two hours remained before the official public hearing was to begin, Genevieve rose to establish order. It required only two cracks of her improvised gavel (it was really just an old hammer) for the space to quiet down. Genevieve was left gazing out at a veritable sea of hardened faces. They looked to her for some hope, some method to reassert control over their lives and belongings. She was going to offer them all that she had.

"Citizens of Ponyville, as well as respected landowners from the general area," she began, speaking calmly and assertively. "By now you are all well-aware of the problems which beset our area, the threat to our way of life. The government has forcefully purchased our land and has asked us to leave. In three days they will arrive to force us out."

"We'll never let them take what's ours, as long as we breathe!" yelled a voice from the back. "We'll fight for all we have!" He was answered by several disgruntled agreements from throughout the crowd.

Raising a hoof to quiet the assemblage, Genevieve spoke out firmly. "That will not be necessary. The government does not want our land for itself; they only desire the food that can be grown from it. Whether that food is harvested by us or by the people they hire to cultivate it is immaterial to them. Therein lays our chance. If we can show them that we are capable of performing the task that they desire, they will let us continue in our own way. United, we can protect all that we own without any violence or bloodshed." Sitting again, she yielded the lectern to Gus, who had come prepared with a large stack of notes. Gus had been tasked with drawing up the implementation of the plan.

Letting his stack of papers rest upon the lectern, Gus began to address the crowd in a rather dry monotone. "The transition of our town from what it is into what is required of it will no be easy. It is essential that every citizen know his or her part in this endeavor, and the sort of sacrifices that will be expected from every family. Some amount of organization still needs to be done before this plan can be implemented, but I believe that if we all work together on this, we can be functioning at the level the government desires in as little as six months." Murmurs went through the crowd at that last remark, and Gus used the gavel once to quiet things down again. "It is important that we all understand the magnitude of what we are undertaking here. The area that the government wants converted to farmland is roughly thirty times the area of the town of Ponyville. Clearing the land alone will take two months at least, at which point we must tend the crops for one full cycle until it will become clear that we are useful. Allow me to elaborate."

And so Gus talked on for many minutes, elaborating on quantities of raw materials, manual labor, and space that would be required for the operation to commence. Work crews would be preferably chosen from pools of volunteers, although a drafting system had been drawn up to deal with shortcomings. As well, since the government planned to destroy the town as well, Gus planned to make up for the land shortcoming by reclaiming certain sectors of the EverfreeForest, a task which would require its own sets of plans and laborers. Although Genevieve could tell that many were impressed by the amount of thought which had gone into the plans, it also became clear very soon that no one really cared about the little details.

With only forty minutes to go until the public hearing was to begin, Genevieve finally rose to halt Gus, who wasn't showing any signs of slowing down. "I think that should be more than sufficient for starters, Gus." Appearing slightly startled by the interruption, Gus returned to his seat.

Once again addressing the assembly, Genevieve knew that now was the time to get the ball rolling. "My friends, you have heard our plan. Now is the time to make the decision as to whether or not you will support us. We have here at the front a petition to sign, as well as plenty of pencils. When the representative arrives, we need something concrete to show him. So, we invite everyone that would join us in this endeavor and protect that which is their own to come and add their names to our rolls." Having finished, Genevieve sat down again, a contented smile on her face. There, she thought, we have reached the end. Already a shambling line was forming to sign the papers, and it seemed like nearly everyone was joining up. A small white mare approached the side of the desk.

"Since there is nothing else going on right now, may I ask a question?" she spoke up in a shy voice.

"Oh yes," said Allie, rising. "Almost forgot. While this process is going on, the floor is open for anyone to ask a question." Motioning to the white mare, she yielded the lectern.

Approaching cautiously, the mare stood behind the lectern, and spoke out to the crowd in voicing her question. "I think that what we've all heard tonight is indeed a wonderful idea and piece of planning. I think that we should all put our names here in the possibility that this plan is successful. However, I also think that we are all aware that this sort of idea is not new. The citizens of Stockton tried a similar approach, and they were all forced out. My question is, in the event that this plan is not successful, what is our secondary recourse?"

Genevieve had of course known that this question was coming, but that didn't make it any easier for her. The truth was that she had no real backup plan. She couldn't fathom that the government would not listen to such logic as her first plan entailed. As well, a part of her knew that if it did come down to it, the only way to resist any further would have to be by force. But that was an avenue she would not consider.

Sensing her hesitation, Allie rose to answer the question. "For the moment, all our thoughts are on making sure that this plan goes through successfully. A contingency strategy will be implemented as it becomes necessary."

A powerful stallion strode forth from the back of the room. "Well, I got a contingency strategy for you! If those city-ponies think they can take what's mine, they can answer to me, and I ain't letting them near it while I still got some fight in me!" He was met with a roar of approval from the back rows.

Allie replied firmly, "As I said, a strategy will be implemented when it becomes necessary. The implementation of that strategy will be open to debate."

At this Genevieve stood up swiftly, and addressed Allie in a low voice. "Allie! We cannot condone such violence!"

"And why not? That other day at the café, you told us that we should do whatever it takes to defend our land. That we shouldn't let the government come in and walk all over us. When it comes down to it, I think we should leave all our options still on the table. Without their land, their heritage, these people have nothing. Would you expect us to just walk away from it without any resistance?"

"But any attempt at resistance is transparently futile! We have no weapons, no fortifications, nothing with which to resist the Princess's army. And believe me; they will not waste time with us. If we step out of line, the hammer is going to fall on us hard. I'm only trying to stop them from giving up their lives for nothing!"

"But what would you have us do? These people don't appreciate being tossed around by anyone, not even the Princesses. So what if we don't have a chance? We will fight, because there is nothing else for us to do. We have nowhere else to go, nothing else to retreat to. No, this, this will be our final end."

Seeing then that there was no way to deter her friend, and gazing out into the crowd to see the determined faces of the males in back, Genevieve knew that there was no stopping this thing now. She could only pray that her answer would work, and prevent the need for what she was sure would be a massacre. She could also see that the line to the desk had vanished. Everyone who wished to sign had signed. Standing once more, she addressed the room. "All who so wish have signed, correct?" Receiving nods, she continued, "Has the representative of the Crown arrived yet for the public hearing?"

Eyes turned to the front of the café, where a small scuffle appeared to have developed. Roughly, a path was made for the royal representative, a foppish unicorn stallion that stood out immediately in the crowd of country ponies. Striding with his head held high and his top hat perched precariously on a ridiculous-looking curled mane, the male was completely oblivious to the obvious animosity of the crowd. Genevieve could even see that some of the group on the outside now wielded unlit torches and metal rods. It was a riot waiting to happen.

Seeing that the situation now rested on the edge of a very thin blade, Genevieve tried to be cordial, hastily wiping away a bead of sweat from her upper brow. "It's a pleasure to have you with us, Mr.?"

"De Camp," he replied in a surly tone. "Aiden de Camp."

"Well, Mr. de Camp, we understand you are here on behalf of the Princesses to address our concerns about the expropriation, correct?"

The functionary remained erudite and erect, looking down the length of his nose at Genevieve. "I am here to receive grievances and answer questions, yes."

"Indeed. We were hoping that you might have a look at a proposal that we are putting forward. If you will, uh, study these notes, you will see that nothing as drastic as an expropriation is indeed required." She presented him with Gus's notes.

Surprised, de Camp removed his obviously unnecessary monocle. "Excuse me?" he replied simply.

Indicating the stack of signed petition sheets, Genevieve continued. "All the citizens of Ponyville have pledged to make this area produce the food the government requires by ourselves. As you can see, the expropriation and forced relocation are not required. We hope you will agree to stop the process immediately."

De Camp seemed genuinely confused. "I say, did you just ask me to _stop_ the relocation? No, no, that's quite impossible. Too many wheels turning, too many pieces already in motion. Why, this land has already been sold! Surely you can understand it's too late to go back."

Genevieve was about to protest a final time, but she could see that de Camp's remarks had inflamed the mob beyond recourse. She could only watch as the fiery stallion from before strode forward and grabbed de Camp by the frill of his silk collar. "So, you uppity city ponies think you can sell our land without even paying us for it first? Without even asking us if we want to give it up? I oughta' teach you a thing or two about courtesy, and I don't think I'll be alone." As he dragged de Camp outside the café to the whoops and cheers of the mob, the representative continued to protest.

"I say, unhand me at once, you insufferable ruffian! I am the representative of the Princess!" He continued to spout additional statements to this effect as the mob carried him off to the edge of town, now with torches lit and weapons raised.

Turning finally to Genevieve, Allie let out a sigh. "You gave it your best shot, girl, but this is our fight now. There's no way back for us, not from here."

Back at the de Cassie residence

Gabe Sotheby had been up and about for several days now, but tonight was the first night he had been left alone in the house. Seizing this opportunity immediately, he raced out the back door and into the clouds. He had recovered enough of his strength to make his way back home. His hosts down here on the surface had been nice enough, but there seemed to be something halting in their demeanor towards him. They knew that he was different. The only one of this family that he didn't feel this standoffishness from was the female Genevieve. Somehow, he found peace and openness in her face, and enjoyed watching the wind caress her mane as she worked in the fields and in the house. Here was a mare filled with devotion and grace. She reminded him somewhat of Alicia Kleever, only it seemed like with Genevieve he didn't feel tongue-tied, instead he could talk to her openly, sometimes for long periods.

But in the end, he had to leave her, as he did all these people who walked on the earth. In the end, this was not his place, no more than any of them would feel welcome in Cloudsdale. Now that he was strong enough to return home, he had to make it back, so as to comfort his parents and tell his harrowing tale. And certainly to resume his studies of the language of the wind, and refine his understanding of the words of storm.

However, while he was down here and away from prying eyes, he wanted to experiment with the word, just this one final time. Creating a storm up in Cloudsdale would cause an unconscionable ruckus, but a small one down here wouldn't cause any harm. He just wanted to see if it could be done.

Letting his mind reel back to that day up in the clouds, Gabe recalled the word of the storm, a simple sequence of stressed and unstressed bass tones. Once again beginning slowly and resolutely, Gabe let the word flow through his mind and out his mouth. Immediately, he could feel the updrafts intensify around him, bearing him up towards the sky. Slowly, the cloud began to form, little wisps at first, followed by larger tufts, merging into a moderately-sized puffy mass. Experimenting, Gabe tried out different intonations and pronunciations of the word, and found that the cloud became more tactile and responsive to his touch. Like a sculptor, he shaped the cloud into an impressive thunderhead, all the while continuing to chant and allowing the updrafts to continue building the storm.

As he let power slip into his vocals, he felt the winds shaping into a cyclonic vortex, carrying the growing thunderhead all around him. As he listened to it answer his calls, he detected additional melodies tugging at the corners of the rhythm. Still experimenting, he tried them out, and was delighted by impressive crackles of lightning and booms of thunder. Flying higher within the vortex, he manipulated the peak levels of moisture to cool and harden into hail crystals, overjoyed as they permeated through the cloud and began to fall along with the torrents of rain that were already drenching the countryside. Basking in the glory of the storm as it pulsed through his every sense; he let the cloud run its course before slowly descending again to the ground. Beneath, the world was briefly inundated from the downpour, although it was quickly draining away to the nearby river.

Satisfied, he turned round to the farmhouse one last time. Now here was a story that his parents absolutely would not believe. He couldn't wait to try it again, to demonstrate this ability and teach it to all who would learn. Finally, it seemed he had found his place in this world, after all. What an ordeal he had had to go through to get it!

Walking jauntily back to the farmhouse, Gabe suddenly stopped. Standing on the back porch was Genevieve. From the look in her eyes, it was clear that she had seen the whole thing.


	7. Chapter 7: Everfree

****[A/N: Dedicated readers may be interested to that I have set up Tumblr page at .com There, I will discuss some of the assumptions and deductions I have made concerning Equestria's government, and social makeup. A note: since I will be discussing my future plans for the story therein, the page will naturally contain some pretty big spoilers. If you don't wish to have such things spoiled for you, then I would recommend not visiting the page.

For those of you who are willing, this week's question goes as follows:

Are the Elements of Harmony able to wielded only by those "chosen" (similar to the Master Sword from _The Legend of Zelda_ series), or do they have a will to choose their own master (similar to the One Ring from _The Lord of the Rings_)?]

* * *

**Chapter 7: Everfree**

"Oh, hey Genevieve. Uh, how's it going?"

Gabe could tell immediately that playing innocent wasn't going to get him anywhere in this situation. In Genevieve's expression he could see a mixture of confusion, sadness, and was that … some admiration perhaps? Perhaps, if he played his cards right, he could get out of this one alright…

"Well, Gabe, I don't believe you mentioned something like that the last time we spoke. I suppose you just neglected to mention it?"

Meeting her gaze, Gabe replied coolly. "I don't recall anyone asking about it."

Genevieve began walking away, motioning for him to follow. Slowly, they made their way off the property and skirted the edge of the town, heading for the large forest that bordered town limits.

Along the way, Gabe avoided looking Genevieve in the eyes. He couldn't shake this feeling almost like … guilt? It was crazy. He barely knew Genevieve, and yet somehow felt terrible that she had found out about things the way she had. For her part, Genevieve looked straight ahead, contemplating the situation. Only a few hours ago, she had pretty well ascribed this town to destruction at the hands of the royal army. But now, seeing the power that Gabe commanded… New plans began to filter their way through her mind. It was just possible that they might have a chance, at least to delay the fight until negotiations could be reopened.

"Gabe," she began as soon they were out of earshot of the town, "there's no denying what I saw. I think it is well within my rights to ask for an explanation."

To any other person, Gabe probably would have refused. He had spent his whole life believing that earth ponies hated the Pegasi, that they had forced his people to run to the skies in order to preserve their own lives. But looking at Genevieve now, he could not fathom any such prejudice in her heart. To him, she was the nicest thing about the ground so far. And so, even though it may have been against his better judgment, he told her the whole story, starting way up in Cloudsdale, and running up to tonight.

In her own mind, Genevieve struggled to keep up with the revelations. She recalled once reading something about the ancient lost race of the Pegasi, and how they had exiled themselves from the ground upon the establishment of the kingdom of Equestria. The old history books said nothing of the ability to control the weather though, although if Gabe was telling the truth, it seemed to be a new development for him as well.

As Gabe was finishing the story, describing his ordeal in creating the small storm outside Genevieve's house, the pair drew up to the edge of the forest, which was called the Everfree Forest in those days, as it is now. Although the sun had set, and twilight enveloped the land, the moon was bright that night, and the pair entered the forest without hesitation. In those days, the forest was a place of great beauty, with straight paths, shallow streams, and plentiful small clearings, perfect for social gatherings. In fact, the residents of Ponyville held a large picnic in the wood every summer. Even though Gabe had naturally never been in a forest before, he took comfort in Genevieve's confidence, as well as the feeling of natural peace that the wood seemed to inspire in his heart.

As the two strode slowly along one of the wider paths, Genevieve restarted the conversation. "That is some story, Gabe Sotheby. But I do have one question: if you had such a wonderful life up in Cloudsdale, why not return immediately? Why take the time to practice your newfound skill, or even to have this conversation with me?" She looked up at him innocently, and all Gabe could do was turn away shyly.

"Well, uh, I saw you standing by the farmhouse, and I guess I…" his voice trailed off into silence. Even in the dim light, Genevieve could tell that he was flustered. Uncharacteristically, she felt a little uncertain in his presence as well. It wasn't like she hadn't noticed that Gabe was a handsome young man, but it was unlike her to be tongue-tied like this when considering such a delicate subject. It must have been the traumatic start to her evening, she decided.

Continuing, she chuckled gently. "Don't worry about it. In fact, I'm glad you decided to stay. It gives us more time to talk about things."

"Talk?" was all he replied with.

"Yes, Gabe. If I were to be honest, there's a certain small favor that I think you could do for me, but I would have to explain the situation to you first."

"Well then," he replied with a slight laugh. "Since I already told you my life story, it seems only fair that you should return the favor, right?"

And so Genevieve took the time to explain her situation to Gabe, starting from the steady decline of the town's fortunes, and continuing through the saga of the expropriation. Her eyes lit up as she discussed her plans to satisfy the government by converting the land into farms, then grew downcast as she related to him the failure of the negotiations and the outbreak of violence.

At this point, the path dead-ended at a small, clear pond in the thick of the woods. The full moon glinted off the still water as both of them sat down for a moment by the water's edge. Both remained silent for a time, each contemplating the circumstances that had brought the other to this point in their lives. A slight breeze whistled through the trees, rustling the leaves and slightly chilling the both of them, making them huddle together a bit for warmth. Looking out across the pond, Gabe saw that the forest grew impenetrably thick on the far side of the water. He could see that the apparent wall of greenery extended in both directions, following the curves of a stream that cut through the area.

Noting his curiosity, Genevieve spoke up over the wind. "This is far as any resident of Ponyville has ever come into the Everfree Forest. Beyond this stream, the wood is too thick for any creature to pass. Most of us don't even like to come out this far, but I always used to like it out here. The world is so peaceful, so quiet. I used to be able to sit out here for whole afternoons, just thinking about things."

Without thinking, Gabe voiced an opinion. "The trees can't grow that close naturally. There is something different about those woods." He turned then to face Genevieve, expecting some explanation from the earth pony.

In response, Genevieve tossed a small stone out into the pool. As the ripples from its splash lapped the shoreline, she spoke softly. "The old history books say that an ancient fortress lies somewhere in these woods. In ages past, it was home to an order of earth ponies devoted to studying the ways of nature. But several hundred years ago, after the founding of the free kingdom of Equestria, these strange beings disappeared from all recorded history. There is a legend here in Ponyville that this ancient order retreated back to their forest citadel, and constructed this barrier of trees to hide themselves from the rest of the world. In 300 years, no creature has ever crossed this stream."

Gabe again examined the leafy wall. Some of the trees making it up were relatively tall, others looked new. If it was still being maintained after 300 years that would mean that some members of that ancient sect might yet be alive. He couldn't help but see the connections between this story and what the old histories said about the Pegasi. They had also mysteriously disappeared from the record about 300 years ago, after the founding of the free kingdom. Was there some sort of connection here?

He likely would have continued to contemplate such mysteries, had Genevieve not gotten up then and began to leave the area. "It's getting late," she said to him. "My parents are going to wonder where I've gone off to. They'll probably be worried for you as well."

As Gabe got up to leave, he suddenly remembered something. "You said that you had a favor that you wanted to ask me about, after you explained the situation."

"Well," she replied as they began the trek back to Ponyville. "Since you're so insistent about it, I suppose I did say something to that effect. Let me give it you straight."

Gabe could sense that she was weighing the issue carefully, in spite of her flippant tone of voice. Whatever this was, it was very important to her. He suddenly realized that he would find it difficult to disappoint her.

Addressing him in simple words, Genevieve made her pitch. "I've told you about what the government has planned for our town. Since negotiation has gotten us nowhere, the rest of the population has opted to fight force with force. But we all know that resistance is futile. When the Princess finds out about this rebellion, she won't waste any time in gathering a force to put it down. We will all be pushed aside like water, and the more belligerent among the townsfolk will probably end up dying in the fight.

"But Gabe, if what I have seen you do is representative of your true power, then you could help us to avoid the bloodshed. There is only one road into town, and it crosses a major river several miles away. All we would need is one large storm. Flood the river, and wash out the bridge. It would buy us enough time to get negotiations started up again." She waited expectantly for his answer, and could see that his face was troubled.

Gabe was taken aback by the request. "Genevieve," he began, "I am a Pegasus of Cloudsdale, and I have only been here for three days. I have no interest in becoming embroiled in a rebellion. The business between this town and its Princess is not my concern. I have a family, a city, a life to get back to. Surely you must understand this." Although he was doing his best to sound sincere, on the inside Gabe was in turmoil. He could see that this rebellion was being performed with noble intent. Here he was in a position to save lives! What right did he have to remain on the sidelines with such a responsibility? At the same time, this was not his fight. For hundreds of years the Pegasi had not bothered themselves with the affairs of those that lived on the surface. Would he be the one to change all that? Again, he glanced over to Genevieve, taking in her insistent features in the ambience of the moonlight. There was something about the way she walked, about the way that the light caught her eyes here in the forest, which he couldn't take his eyes off. In that instant, he would do anything to please her.

As if sensing his indecision, Genevieve spoke up. "All I ask is this one favor. There would be no need for you to join with us for any longer length of time. After the bridge is destroyed, you can return to Cloudsdale and your other life. We just need your help for this one act. Please?"

Gabe looked up to see that they were now exiting the boughs of the forest. Before him, the idyllic town of Ponyville spread out in its small valley. Lights twinkled throughout the town, although a sizeable concentration of them remained around the central café, where the local stallions were still meeting to plan out the best defensive strategies. In the end, Gabe simply couldn't bring himself to ignore these people's plight. If he could help them, then that's what he was going to do.

Casting Genevieve a playful grin, he raised a front hoof. "Just this once, I'll do it."

Her eyes lit up immediately. "Oh thank you so much!" she exclaimed, immediately coming toward him with a loving embrace. Although he was initially surprised, Gabe eventually returned the gesture. He felt her body warm against his own, and knew that there simply wasn't anything else that he could have said.

The Next Morning

Gabe stood at the banks of the river several miles from the town. Having brought along raincoats and a large umbrella, Genevieve, Samuel, Gus, and Allie were there with him. Genevieve's friends had been introduced to Gabe only several minutes ago, but all had taken a natural liking to his unassuming demeanor. Thankfully, that morning was foggy, so there was plenty of moisture in the air to work with.

Gabe knew that in theory, washing out the bridge was a simple manner of keeping the storm going for a long enough time. He wouldn't even need to try anything special, although it would actually have been just as plausible to collapse the bridge with an ice storm. Still, since he was still learning the art, it paid to keep things simple.

Ascending into the air, he again let the sounds of the storm flow through his mind. Surprisingly, he found that he no longer even had to say it out loud, that in fact just thinking about it hard enough would cause the winds to start their familiar upward swirl. Feeling the song of the rain course through his bloodstream, Gabe once again embraced the primal joy of being in his home element.

Back on the ground, Samuel and Gus watched in awe as the Pegasus was engulfed in swirling clouds, soon creating sheets of steady rain. Slight crackles of lightning and rumbles of thunder moved through the mass, but Gabe kept things steady, focusing entirely on getting as much water down to the ground as possible. After only about an hour, the river had already risen a couple feet.

Huddling beneath the umbrella, which they had wisely anchored with several stakes, Allie let out a low whistle. "Imagine what we could do with a whole group of ponies like him. We might actually have a chance at this thing."

Genevieve smiled wryly. "Indeed. I know that I promised him freedom afterwards, but this may in fact be our way forward. I think we will need to have another little chat this afternoon."

Gus was already thinking of ways to spread the rumors, and boost the citizens' morale. "I think," he stated in his characteristic monotone, "that we should exaggerate the power that this guy might hold. He just might become a rallying point for our people. What did you say his name was again?"

"Gabe Sotheby." Genevieve replied.

"I think," Gus continued, "it would be wise for us to bestow him the honor of a better name. How about Gabe 'Windcaster' Sotheby?"

Genevieve nodded. Indeed, that might be just the thing.


	8. Chapter 8: Divergent Paths: Part 1

****[A/N: As usual, anyone who has taken time out of their busy days to peruse the contents of this work has my gratitude. I have been considering lately if I should establish a forum where readers can discuss this continuity and ask questions, as perhaps the review system is not a proper place for interaction with the fan base (such as it is) to occur. That being said, as always, reviews are wholeheartedly appreciated. Even if you have nothing nice to say about the story, I would love to hear some thoughts. The rest of the continuity is still quite fluid and subject to change, and there are a few things that I would actually like to let the readers decide on, if at all possible.

Anyway, Act II is drawing on, but there is still plenty of story left to tell. Enjoy it at your leisure.]

* * *

**Chapter 8: Divergent Paths, Part 1**

One Day after destruction of the bridge

The sunrise in Ponyville was usually a dramatic sight, as the light was framed by a faraway eastern mountain pass. As the light passed through the icy alpine air, all manner of colorful phenomena were produced. On this morning, the first rays of light were tinted a sharp red, perhaps indicative of times to come for the town.

Rather than the usual morning ritual and routine, the citizens of Ponyville gathered at the Green family café, to get organized preparing the town's defenses. Gabe's help with the bridge had surely bought them several days, but every citizen was well aware that the raging river would only pose a slight obstacle to the Princess' army. So now, all hooves were called to fortify the perimeter and fabricate projectiles out of any material that was on hand. Any piece of farm equipment that could hold an edge was sharpened; anything else was modified into impromptu shielding or walls. Looking upon the spectacle, Genevieve was pleased to see how the townspeople had united behind the common cause. Of course, it would have been better for them to have united behind the cause of turning the area into farmland, but the opportunity for that plan had come and gone. Though she did not agree with the idea of fighting, she also knew that now the battle was unavoidable.

Genevieve had her own special concerns though. At the moment, Gabe still slept soundly in the guest room of her family's house. Although Genevieve felt guilty that she was going to go back on her promise to him, the others were convinced that with his help, there might be a chance they could be victorious. Washing out a bridge was one thing, but a properly timed blizzard or lightning strike could decide a battle. She had to admit that he was probably their only chance. Still, he had his own life to live, a family who would be anxious to see him again. What right was it of hers to try to take all that away from him? In the end, Genevieve realized, she didn't have it in her to coerce him in any way. His own actions could only be his choice.

Still, she intended to present a convincing argument, with several fallback positions to assume if he desired a compromise. She could tell that he was more open in her presence, more susceptible to acting against his better judgment. Although she did not intend to overtly manipulate him, it would be foolish to squander any potential advantage.

Genevieve was standing on the back porch when she heard Gabe finally emerge from the upstairs loft. It was already well-past noon, but there was a cool breeze from the north, so the sun was not oppressively hot. As she heard him rummaging in the kitchen for breakfast, she contemplated the plan. She had decided that if she could not get him to stay on for a few more days, she would ask that he take her back to Cloudsdale with him, to give her a chance to see the city, if only for a day or two. While there, Genevieve planned to tell her story to anyone who would hear it, in the hope of finding some traction among the population. After some time, Gabe would of course be forced to take her back to Ponyville, at which point she would have another crack at him.

Feeling reassured, but still slightly nervous, she stuck her head through the rear door. Gabe was seated at the family table, helping himself to a loaf of her father's signature multigrain bread. Seeing her, he gazed up sheepishly. "Oh, good morning, Genevieve. I thought you would be preparing the defenses with the others today."

Smiling innocently, she stepped into the kitchen. "Allie's covering for me today. Besides, seeing as today is your last day here, I thought that you and I could, maybe, go for one last walk."

Before answering her, Gabe took a long drink from a tall glass of water. "Well, sure, I guess so," he remarked. "Down to the forest again?"

"Where else?"

"One moment then," Gabe replied as he hastily ate the rest of the loaf. He joined Genevieve on the lightly worn path that led behind the de Cassie property, before winding its way through town up to the Everfree Forest. As they walked, they passed by several families that were erecting makeshift defenses for their own homesteads. Each stopped what they were doing to thank Gabe as he passed. After the storm at the bridge, word of Gabe's help had spread quickly through the population, and the citizens were eager to let him know of their gratitude. Gabe accepted each thanks gratefully, but he didn't really think any of it was well deserved. In his mind, he had simply been in the right place at the right time, doing what any responsible pony would have done.

As they finally left the town behind and came under the branches of the peaceful forest, Gabe took it all in. Seeing as this was going to be his last day down on the ground, he wanted to file away every memory to tell his family about later. The way the light of the sun filtered through the leaves of the forest, and glimmered off the mossy stumps took his breath away. How could his people have ever left such beauty behind them? Perhaps that was a question he could solve in the Cloudsdale archives after his return.

Slowly, Gabe became aware that Genevieve was being uncharacteristically silent. On their previous walk through the wood, both of them had talked extensively. Now, he wondered why she refrained from speaking. Surreptitiously studying her face, he could see that she was worried about something, and trying to hide it from him. Feeling uncomfortable, he decided to bring up the subject.

"Genevieve," he began, "I can see that something is troubling you. Come, this will be our last day together. I don't want anything to spoil it, so please, talk to me about it."

She turned away from him for a moment, and for an instant, Gabe thought he could see a tear escape one of her eyes. But when she finally looked him in the eyes, she was all serious. "Well Gabe, that's just it. We agreed that this would be your last day here with us. You've got a family, a life up in Cloudsdale, and I don't want to take you away from that, much as I would like you to stay."

Unsure of precisely how to respond, Gabe tried the compassionate approach. "I wish I could stay too, Genevieve. The time that I've been able to spend down here with you has created moments that I will never forget. But we both knew from the start that I couldn't stay."

Holding his gaze, Genevieve continued, "The entire town thanks you for the help you have provided us. There is, however, just one thing. You have bought us some time, but if we can't resolve the situation peacefully, it is undoubted that a battle will commence. In that case, we don't stand a chance."

Seeing the implication, Gabe bristled immediately. "Genevieve, I thought we had agreed that I would not play any part in this conflict. You promised that I could go after this one favor. Remember? I sincerely hope you're not going back on that now."

Catching the irritation in his tone, Genevieve was quick to deflect his feelings away from her. "I know that, but some of the other citizens have heard of your talents, and couldn't help but ask the obvious questions. I have to ask you, one last time, will you consider aiding us in this time of our need?" She looked up at him with her most earnest face, pleading with her eyes.

Stopping in place and looking away, Gabe suddenly felt ashamed that he hadn't left as soon as he could. Had everything merely been a sham to lead up to this moment? For a time, he had been wrestling with his feelings concerning his new friend. Now, embarrassed with himself, he looked upon Genevieve with scorn. Turning around, he began to walk out of the forest. Suddenly, all he wanted was to see the shimmering spires of Cloudsdale again, and leave the surface behind forever.

Running to catch up with him, Genevieve called out for him to slow down. Finally coming abreast of him, Genevieve once again spoke as they walked; now sounding apologetic. "I'm sorry Gabe. I never imagined that this would be how it would end. You must realize that I had to ask, if only for that small chance."

Gabe would no longer look at her. "Oh I realize something all right. I realize that you only see me as a means to alleviate your own suffering, Genevieve. I may be the pony that can give you what you need, but I have my own life to live, and I can't get caught up in this war of your people. If you can't see that, then I can't stay here to make you understand."

Searching for an open spot so that he could take off, Gabe felt that the wood was suddenly an almost suffocating space. The branches above choked off the sky, and so Gabe continued to stride quickly along the path, anxious to be gone from this place. To her credit, Genevieve remained persistent, keeping pace with him the whole way. Seeing that she had almost lost this battle, she decided now was the time to come completely clean.

"Gabe," she intoned, once again speaking earnestly, "things are more complicated here than you realize. I've been looking through the old histories again, searching for the story of the exile of the Pegasi."

Gabe continued to walk, stone-faced for the moment, so Genevieve continued. "The Pegasi were once citizens of Equestria, Gabe! Just like all of us. They preferred the sky, to be sure, but long ago they lived among the earth ponies and unicorns as fellow citizens! Then, with the rise of the free kingdom, the Pegasi exiled themselves, fearful of what could happen to their way of life with the change of government!"

"So?" he replied in a challenging tone. "We made that choice for our own good then, and we still have the right to plot our own destiny, free from what anyone else would desire of us." Finally spying the edge of the forest approaching around a bend, he quickened his pace. Behind him, Genevieve struggled to keep up.

"Don't you see?" she managed to get out between breaths. "Your people are still our fellow citizens! There never was any prejudice against the Pegasi, and none of us wish you any ill! You can't keep on ignoring others' problems when you have the ability to prevent them. You have a responsibility to help us!"

At this, Gabe stopped and turned round to face her for one last time. Seeing her now in the light of the afternoon sun, his resolve faltered for the slightest second. Again, he felt the weight of all these lives settle on his shoulders. But this time things were different. These earth ponies had betrayed his trust, just as a part of him had always known they would. He wished for nothing more than to be rid of this place. Addressing her, he stoically proclaimed, "My only responsibility is to my own race, and my home city of Cloudsdale, and to my own family. Genevieve de Cassie, I thank you for your time, but now I must be leaving." And with that, he raced off into the clear fields, extending his wings to catch the wind. With powerful strokes he rose into the air, shortly leaving the town of Ponyville behind.

Genevieve watched him go, tears in her eyes. The logician inside her mind berated her on how poorly she had handled the situation. Why had things ended up like this? As she gazed wistfully up into the clouds, a tear worked its way down her cheek. There had been so much more to say, so much more that could have passed between them. Now that he was gone, Genevieve almost felt as though a part of her had gone with him. Alone for a moment, she sat upon the ground and wept for a short time. Finally composing herself, she began to make her way back down to the town. The only thing left to do was prepare for the inevitable.

For his part, Gabe buried his emotions beneath a wall of indignation. Admittedly, given some time to think over it, he did regret the way it had all ended. He had legitimately enjoyed Genevieve's company, and would always remember the times that they had spent together in the forest. But in the end, his loyalties were his own decision, and no one else's.

As he climbed ever higher into the sky, the ground once more reformed into its familiar blur of blues and greens in his sight. To distract himself from the turmoil in his mind, Gabe focused on the necessary processes for flying. However, the wind was unsettlingly calm this afternoon, offering him none of its usual peaceful melodies. Slowly, he began to make out landmarks that he could recognize, and after orienting himself, the shining city of Cloudsdale appeared once again in the distance. It was just as Gabe remembered it, aglow in the pure light of the descending late afternoon sun. Circling for a moment over the southern quarter, Gabe tried to recall the peaceful times that he had spent here. Though the memories surfaced, somehow the taint of his earlier ordeal had left an empty space in his heart that even sight of his majestic hometown refused to fill. He reflected for a moment on Genevieve's last words. Ironically, it seemed that history, one of his least favorite subjects, had much yet to teach him. He knew that the only way to get any closure on this affair would be to head down to the library sometime and do some reading. With any luck, the old history books would be able to confirm his convictions for him.

Setting down in an empty plaza near to his parents' house, Gabe was not surprised to see posters bearing his own image plastered about the city. It had only been five days since he had first fell from the sky, after all. But such an awful lot had changed since then. Trotting to his own house, Gabe was not surprised to find both of his parents in the kitchen, enjoying a brief meal before going out to canvas the town once more. Both were naturally overjoyed to see him. As he embraced his mother and father lovingly, Gabe tried to feel like he was back where he belonged again. And even though he was mostly successful, that nagging emptiness still simply refused to leave.


	9. Chapter 9: Trust Me

****[A/N: Again, this chapter is going up a bit early, but I had some free time. I like to keep about extra chapter written than I have posted, so that I can use the week to edit things and catch mistakes before they become set in stone. Since I just finished writing Chapter 10 yesterday (and in fact just finished Chapter 11 right now), I figured I may as well throw this one up there.

Act II is barreling on toward its conclusion, but there is still plenty of story left to be told. Before it's done, we're going to get to see a character that will probably come as a surprise. But him and Celestia will meet many times over the course of this story, and I just love him besides, so expect him to pop up where he is least expected. Who am I talking about? Stick around to find out!

As always, comments, reviews, and opinions are most welcome and appreciated. Here in Canada, Thanksgiving is next weekend, so I'll see if I can set some time aside over the holidays to write some more. Anyway, please do enjoy Chapter 9!]

* * *

**Chapter 9: Trust Me**

Massaging the root of her horn with one hoof, Princess Celestia prepared some of her favorite tea with the other. Today, as they had been yesterday, her chambers were dead silent, although only several minutes ago, they had been wracked with the sounds of her own agony. The nightmares simply refused to leave her. She hoped that some tea would take her mind off the aches that still persisted throughout her cranium, although lately even such pleasures had been unable to penetrate the pain. Time, it seemed, was the only sure treatment.

In the early days, Celestia had felt certain that the dreams were simply an annoyance brought on by the traumatic turns her life had taken ever since her magic had first been awoken. However, since the episodes had persisted for what was now more than a hundred years, she felt certain that there was some deeper meaning to be found in them. Over the course of those years, the nightmares had thankfully not afflicted her every night, instead clustering together in seemingly random patterns. Each time she thought they had finally stopped, they would return again with fiendish regularity. The chaotic pattern reminded her of Discord's random nature. Sometimes, when things were getting tough, she would even contemplate matters in front of his vitrified body, which she had adorned as a statue inside the castle's private gardens.

Back in those days she had been so naïve, thinking that setting up a new government would only be a matter of granting the population their freedom from his tyranny. Now, it seemed like every new month offered a new challenge that she had not foreseen. Of late, the earth itself seemed to have turned against Equestria, as a miserable crop year was ending on yet another sour note, and the price of food was rising due to the scarcity of supply. Her agents and representatives reported that rumbles of discontent were even spreading through some of the major cities. Sometimes, Celestia wished that she could just conjure up enough food to feed the masses, but such a solution would drain her reserves and fail to fix the core of the issue, which was the inadequate production base. Fortunately, Luna was making it her top priority to address that matter.

Celestia wished (and not for the first time today) that Luna was back in the castle with her. She had always been able to count on her sister as that steadfast pillar of support to get through such tough times. Even though the administrative responsibilities for an entire kingdom were myriad, Luna seemed to be possessed with a divine clarity of mind that allowed her to see through matters to the heart of the issues. At the moment, Luna was on an inspection tour of the agricultural base, doing her best to contain the supply problem.

Pushing such wistful thoughts from her mind, Celestia turned back to the issue at hand. Lately, she had become convinced that deciphering the dream's meaning might be a way to stop its re-occurrence. If this really is some sort of warning, she thought, the best way to silence it is to heed its message. And so she had crawled through the sequence of events, doing her best to find any parallels or patterns in the images.

It always started in the meadow, from which she could see the restored city of Canterlot. Then the vision of the burning city would appear. Celestia knew that this was a warning, a harbinger of strife yet to come. But what was the nature of this threat? Such information had to lie in the second phase.

There were three elements to the second phase of the dream: Seraph, The Emperor, and the bright light in the distance. Seraph she had already defeated, and The Emperor, though gone for now, hung over her thoughts like a demon. The threat he posed was always present, always waiting for her to make her mistake. Perhaps each vision was a threat then? _One past, one present, and one yet to come? _

Seeing the sun's reflection on the glass veneer of her kitchen counter, Celestia paused thoughtfully. A bright light. She had seen that symbol in a different place, many years ago. The memories seemed enticingly out of reach, just beyond where she could grasp them. Moving to her bedroom upstairs, Celestia picked up her initiation stone from the bedside table, willing the images to come through. She remembered falling asleep while in the initiation chamber, the dream that had come to her then. She had seen the same symbol of Canterlot burning, felt the same inability to help. And then, over top of the city, she had seen it. _A brilliant, shining orb._ The same light as in her nightmares? That light had kindled her inner magic, pouring into her brain like fire, giving her the strength to right the wrongs of Discord's rule.

Celestia snapped out of the reverie with a slight twitch. It all seemed a bit clearer now. The light was her own personal magic, the power to protect her people. But why then did it retreat from her in the dream? And especially, who were the mysterious six ponies who inflicted such pain on her as she approached? Certainly, they were the threat expressed in the third vision. _The threat yet to come._ When they did arrive, Celestia intended to be ready.

Three Days after the destruction of the bridge

Due to the nature of the bureaucracy, sometimes news took its time navigating the various levels of command all the way up to the top. Thus, it was several days after the bridge to Ponyville was destroyed that Princess Luna first learned of the insurrection in the area. After chastising a much chagrined Aiden de Camp for not taking a guard with him for the hearing, she made a thorough inspection of the province. Finding the only road to Ponyville destroyed, she ordered that the sale of the land was to go through as planned, with development pending on the resolution of this most unsavory issue.

Now back in Canterlot for an emergency meeting of the government leaders, Luna settled into her spot at the meeting table in Canterlot Castle. Also present at the meeting was the current leader of the senate, as well as the captain of the Astrala regiment assigned to protect Celestia and the general in charge of the standing army of Equestria. The two military ponies sat off on their own, exchanging war stories by the look of it, and the senate leader was dutifully examining his salon-styled mane in a hand mirror. None of them were the sort of ponies that Luna would have liked to surround herself with in a crisis situation, but in a democracy one had to make do with what the people chose. Celestia herself would of course also be in attendance, but as yet there had been no sign of her. In the meantime, Luna went over the intelligence that had been gathered so far.

Ponyville sat at the bottom of a small valley, surrounded by plains on three sides, with its rear bordering on the EverfreeForest. However, at the moment it was unreachable (at least by conventional means) due to the destruction of the main road at its central bridge. Local testimony reported a localized storm that had persisted for several hours, dumping torrential rain and eventually washing out the bridge. The whole story seemed ludicrously implausible. While Luna could not fathom how the townsfolk could have facilitated such an event, she could not discount the possibility that it was all part of a well-laid plan. If such was the case, putting down this little rebellion might turn out to be a bigger task than other such issues had been in the past. Whereas before they had been able to rely on intimidation and a little force, this particular town might require more tact.

But such considerations were still just hypothetical for the moment. Obviously, the official line was to avoid as much bloodshed as possible. In such a bad year, fighting civilians, even rebels, could only serve to weaken Celestia's image. The problem would have to be solved diplomatically if at all possible first.

With a start, Luna looked up to see the door to the small room open, and Celestia stride in, resplendent as always, with her golden crown framing the shimmering of her mane in exquisite detail. Hurriedly, Luna and the three officials in the room rose in her presence, sitting down again as she assumed her position at the head of the table. With sisterly concern, Luna studied Celestia's features. Despite the stress that these past few days would have impressed upon her, the elder Princess appeared remarkably relaxed, pleasant even. Perhaps Celestia had taken her advice and simply taken some time to think things over these past few days.

Noticing her expression of concern, Celestia looked at her intently. "Is something wrong, sister?" she asked simply.

"No, nothing, sister," she replied. "Have you been feeling any better since we last saw each other?"

To that, Celestia replied with a simple nod and thin smile. Turning her attention forward, she addressed all those assembled. "Today, we meet to discuss a grave threat to the future security of this kingdom: a rebellion against the authority of my rule. This problem must be dealt with as swiftly and tactfully as possible, as there are multiple issues at stake. Luna, who has inspected the region, will explain."

Taking command of the situation, Luna passed out several folders containing the relevant documentation. "The rebellion is centered in the small town of Ponyville, just above the 50th charted parallel and adjacent to the Everfree Forest. That area was expropriated a month ago and sold to private farming interests. However, when our representative entered the town for a public hearing, he was beaten and sent back to us with a demand that the sale be reversed immediately. Further requests to enforce the eviction have been met with silence."

The leader of the army jumped in. "If I may, Princess, haven't we dealt with this sort of situation before? Even just last year there was a similar revolt before the town of Stockton was destroyed. Why not just adopt the same approach as we did there?"

Luna fixed the general with a hard stare. "You mean marching into town with a squadron of soldiers and forcing them out?"

The general shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Eventually, but at first the citizens resisted. Half a dozen were killed in the ensuing skirmish. Preferably, we don't want civilian blood on our hands."

At this the senate leader spoke up. "What would you propose then? We need these expropriations to go through as fast as possible. The food situation is in danger of coming to a head in some cities. A handful of rebel deaths are nothing in comparison to what we may see if this crisis is allowed to get out of hand."

Trying to keep calm, Luna raised her voice just a bit. "I don't think you heard me. We started this government to keep the interests of **all** our citizens in mind. If we are willing to sacrifice some, even a relative few, to save others, then we have really gotten nowhere towards civilization. Diplomacy is the only way to solve this issue."

"But there can't be a civilization if we do not enforce the power of our government," cut in the Astrala captain. "If the people will not respect the social order on their own, we must correct them forcefully."

"No, we must show them the proper way," replied Luna again. "How can we expect the public to live peacefully if the only example we provide is a police state? They will naturally rebel against such infringements."

"They shall do what society requires of them. What we _expect_ of them. Nothing more is needed." This was the senate leader again, his voice with a noticeable edge of anger.

"Everyone must do their part," confirmed the general, in a tone that was not quite patronizing. "If our citizens cannot meet such basic requirements, then they must be shown the proper punishment."

Luna stood up, which was against the rules of conduct and an insult to Celestia while she was seated. However, seeing the obvious anger in Luna's eyes, no one pointed out this minor detail. Enunciating each word for emphasis, she spoke to all three of the others. "Listen to yourselves for once. Can you not hear the hypocrisy in your words? How in Equestria can we expect our subjects to act in good faith when we ourselves cannot show them such a courtesy? If we do not take the first step to alleviate the core problem, which is this distrustful mindset that has permeated the population, then we certainly cannot expect others to take it for us. As leaders, it is our jobs to make the difficult decisions. But all you three seem capable of doing is protecting your own sorry careers!"

Before Luna could continue, Celestia raised a hoof. "Enough," she said simply, after which there was a short silence as she contemplated the situation. Luna could see that none of the three administrators agreed with her stance. Each of these three lived in worlds far removed from those of the citizens they governed. The mustachioed senate leader had probably never even set his hoofs outside of Canterlot. But the tribulations of the population were Luna's area of expertise, as she lived among them every day in performing her duties. If she could avoid such an unnecessary waste of lives, she was going to do everything in her power to do so.

It was Celestia who finally broke the silence. "Any subversion of the power of this office cannot be allowed to persist, and must be dealt with as soon as possible. But Luna is right, and it would be a shame if any lives were spent when other options are available to us. And so, Luna, I want you to reopen negotiations with the rebels if possible. We are prepared to grant them any concession, save the reversal of the land sale. It must be allowed to proceed, or we risk losing all of our progress in constructing this kingdom."

Turning now to the general and the Astrala captain, Celestia continued. "But, in the event that such diplomacy fails, we must be prepared to strike swiftly, and to root out any insurrection without remorse. We shall mobilize our forces. As you may be aware, the road to Ponyville is currently out. I am granting you authorization to utilize your graduates from the Order of Starlight to aid in the solution to that situation. How long will it take to get in position?"

Looking her straight in the eyes, the general replied, "To mobilize our standing forces, traverse the region, set up supplies, and gain the proper intelligence, four days, my Princess."

"Excellent. See to it at once. The rest of you shall aid in this venture. Get your departments on it. Dismissed." As the three administrators rose from the table and left, Celestia motioned for Luna to remain seated. "Four days is as long as I can give you. If the situation is not resolved by then we will have no choice but to settle this problem with force."

Luna looked her sister right in the eyes. "I understand. But it will be difficult if we cannot budge on the land issue. From the demands we have gotten, that is their chief concern."

"I know. In all likelihood, action is probably going to be required. If it comes down to it, we will need you in that battle. Will you be able to do what is necessary?"

"Sister, if there is no other way, I will do whatever I can to protect you from those that would wish you harm." As they both rose from the table, the two Princesses embraced each other lovingly.

"Trust me, Luna, I have considered the situation, and there is no other way. Our power cannot be challenged without just punishment. Go now, and do what you can." As Luna left the room, Celestia watched her go. She felt tremendously reassured knowing that her sister would deal with this situation.

Still, the pattern of these past few years troubled her. Another town expropriated, more civilians displaced, and more battles to fight. And no help in sight on the food situation. Again, the core issue of the problem was not being addressed. What she needed was a way to suppress this individualism in the population, a way to impress the necessity of inhabiting one's assigned position in society onto ponies. If all her subjects could so easily be put into a status quo, then unsavory circumstances like this one could be avoided. Such a strategy would have to be a bold stroke, a plan mammoth in its implementation and inception. But, with magic there was always a way.

Finally leaving the room, Celestia climbed the stairway to her chambers. Unlocking the door to her roof access, she climbed out onto the high tower. Gazing out at all her kingdom, she sensed the ambitions and goals of all her subjects milling about beneath her. Left to their own devices, ponies always desired that little bit more. Everyone sought happiness in their own little way, but for most it came down to personal advancement. And that was the threat that Celestia had to deal with here. If she could provide the populace with lasting happiness, none of them would ever seek to replace her or incite social unrest. They would be docile as kittens. And in the end, such unfortunate confrontations as were taking place in Ponyville right now would be wholly avoided, as well as the ensuing loss of life. In the end, it was the humane thing to do.

So, the problem was happiness. How to distribute it, preserve it, and convince everyone that the surest route to it was to keep her in power.


	10. Chapter 10: Divergent Paths: Part 2

****[A/N: Well, only 10 chapters in and this story is already longer than Ascending Star. And we've still got a fair amount of story to tell, so stick around.

This chapter introduces the concept of dark magic, the counterpart force to the standard magical powers exhibited by most unicorns. The fate of many of the main characters will be intertwined in their experimentation with dark magic, so expect some evil to start creeping into the works.

Still, please enjoy and review/comment at your leisure.]

**Chapter 10: Divergent Paths, Part 2**

Five Days after the destruction of the bridge

With the army still traversing the river using any means necessary, Luna had forged ahead to reach Ponyville as early as possible. If the negotiations were to have any hope of success, she would need to establish a good rapport with the belligerents before making any demands. Now, camped several miles from the outskirts of the town with a few chosen Astrala to be her personal security, Luna studied the town from afar.

The main road had been barricaded with what appeared to be several wooden tables and chairs. Obviously, the townsfolk had utilized everything that they could in creating their fortifications. Still, though it looked reasonably sturdy, Luna had under her command a regiment of unicorn graduates of the Order of Starlight. Any physical barrier could be thrown aside with only a twitch of a horn.

If she was to honest with herself, Luna wasn't quite comfortable with the graduates as soldiers. They were zealots, wholly committed to the cause of protecting their Princess, even unto death. In a combat situation, they could be unpredictable and rash, prone to violence before reason. However, they were the biggest weapon that Luna could wield at the moment, and their presence would likely be the bargaining point that would force the rebels to yield.

As the sun reached its peak about midday, Luna gathered her personal guards together and prepared to approach the village. Although the five soldiers were not visibly armed, each carried thin knives tucked beneath their armor that could be drawn at a moment's notice. Luna instructed them to be on their guard; there was no telling what might be waiting for them.

Approaching the town's main entrance slowly, Luna waited to be addressed. The rebels would have scouts posted to watch the main approach, and the area leading up to the town was a wide plain offering very little cover. At least from this side, there would be no way to sneak in. After having walked for several dozen yards, Luna finally heard a booming voice from the town. "Halt! Strangers, identify yourselves and state your business in this area."

With her keen eyesight, Luna only required several seconds to spot the source of the sound. Standing beside a chimney on one of the near houses was a light orange mare, holding what appeared to be an impromptu megaphone. Though she did not appear to be armed, Luna knew others were probably at the ready to deal with a potential threat. Standing still, she called back, "We are representatives of the Princess, here to negotiate a peaceful end to this dispute. Please, take us to your leaders, that we may have a frank discussion with them."

After a moment's hesitation, she received a response. "Stay where you are! We'll let you in, but first you'll have to give up your weapons." As the echoes of that statement reverberated about the area, the improvised barriers in front of the town parted for a moment to admit about a dozen stallions. All carried sharpened pitchforks and other improvised weaponry. After giving each member of the royal party a rudimentary search, they advised Luna and her soldiers to follow them.

Walking with them toward the town, Luna was thankful that she had disguised her appearance with the usual hood and traveling cloak. If these rebels found out that she was Celestia's sister, doubtless she would be held as a bargaining chip. Luckily, Luna's roles in managing the kingdom were mostly clandestine, and there were few outside of the government apparatus that would recognize her on sight. As they walked, Luna noted that the citizens of the town continued to feverishly build their defenses and produce weaponry. Some of the sturdier males could be seen instructing the younger colts in basic swordplay, and even the females were pitching in to ready for battle. Any citizen that spared a gaze at the party as they navigated the streets gave Luna a look of disdain, mixed with varying degrees of determination. All in all, the Princess could tell that this town was not giving up without a fight. This made the necessity of these negotiations all the more real. Although Celestia would probably be able to keep the details out of the press, Luna could not allow innocents to perish while any other option existed.

After several minutes of stony silence, their escort stopped outside of a ramshackle café. Due to the number of ponies exiting and entering, Luna surmised that this building was probably the command center of the defenses. After their escort announced their presence, Luna was allowed to enter. The Astrala remained outside, in a show of faith. Stepping into the building, Luna could immediately see that the locals had prepared for this arrival. Several weapons caches were visible in the room, and the floor of the café bustled with townsfolk hard at work administering the defenses. It was a reasonable facsimile of what a real army's command center would look like, but Luna wasn't fooled. It was all merely a guise to convince her that the rebels were well-prepared.

Gazing around a final time, Luna immediately spied the pony that she was going to be talking to. Or ponies, to be most precise. Occupying four seats at the head of the room were four relatively young civilians, but from the way each one worked at their respective tasks, Luna sensed maturity beyond their visages. On the far left, two young stallions diligently worked their way through manifests and inventories, organizing the effort and implementing new plans. To their right, Luna recognized the light orange mare from the rooftop. Up this close, the fire and passion in her eyes was immediately noticeable. Here was a pony that was not going to give up easily. Finally, on the far right sat an off-white mare. In her face, Luna saw a variety of conflicting emotions, not at all what she had expected. Still, as their eyes met, Luna did sense a certain veiled animosity.

Striding forward to the front of their shared desk, the Princess waited to be addressed. It was important that she be deferential to her hosts, at least for the moment. Several seconds passed before the mare on the right rose to introduce herself as Genevieve de Cassie, the leader of the local resistance. In turn, she also introduced Allie, Samuel, and Gus, who each returned to their duties after a slight nod. Genevieve offered Luna a seat, which she politely accepted, introducing herself as Representative Claire Albright. Luckily, her birth name had been completely lost to history, and no spark of recognition passed on the faces of anyone else in the room.

After the usual exchange of pleasantries and offers of refreshment, Genevieve got down to business. "You come here to broker a peace?"

Luna answered honestly. "The Princess does not wish for any unnecessary harm to come to any of her people. A peaceful resolution benefits all sides of this dispute."

Genevieve remained stone-faced. "Then you are aware of our demands."

"The Princess is willing to make all efforts to forge a compromise. We have things that we need as well."

"We are of course aware of that. We do not desire to deny the Princess what she requires. We only wish for the right to perform that service ourselves, and while maintaining possession of our territory."

Luna did her best to avoid the issue of the territorial ownership, since it was the one topic that she knew could sink the negotiation. "The Princess is willing to offer any concession to your people, within the boundaries of the original agreement. State what you require, and it will be taken care of."

But Genevieve easily sidestepped the distracting tactic. "The original agreement is the crux of our sole demand. The land sale must be reversed, so that we can implement the changes required on our own. In a year you will have your farmland, and we will have kept our heritage. What have you to lose?" Genevieve leaned back in her seat as she delivered this line, examining Luna's reaction closely.

Admittedly, Luna was taken aback at the proposal. Certainly, no one had yet mentioned that the citizens were willing to undertake the transformation for them. This did change the matter somewhat. Although, now that she considered it again, perhaps not. The army was already moving, and the sale had already gone through. Indeed, there was no stopping this thing now. Moreover, regardless of the circumstances, Celestia had directly ordered her not to budge on the land ownership issue. Luna trusted that her sister had thought through the situation fully. Whatever shall happen, she realized, it will have to be the only way forward. Turning to Genevieve with some new determination, she replied, "We cannot concede the land ownership. That process has already completed. Is there no other concession that you will accept?"

Genevieve stood up then, turning away from Luna's gaze. The exasperation in her voice was very noticeable. "We have tried to be reasonable from the start. At every step, we have attempted to solve the problem rationally. But no one has budged. And now we have no choice but to fight for what is ours." She continued to stare out one of the windows. Beside her, Allie fixed Luna with a penetrating glare.

Ignoring the looks from the other ponies present, Luna stood up and took several steps forward, speaking forcefully now. "It doesn't have to end that way, Genevieve. The Princess' army is still two days away. We still have time to find a solution, just work with me!"

"No," replied Genevieve sullenly. "I have tried to work with whoever I can, but have only received cold rejections." Coming out from behind the desk and meeting Luna eye to eye, the mare pointed out the window. "Look at the people of our town! They desire only the right to keep what is theirs. When the royal army comes, they will fight for that right, unto death if need be! You must help me avert this calamity!"

Seeing the rebel leader's despair, Luna felt pity grip her heart. Genevieve truly did not desire the conflict, only the rights that any citizen of Equestria would expect. And yet she would have to watch as her people fought and died, and her town was destroyed. Princess Luna might not have agreed personally with the necessity of the conflict, but she knew what was best for the kingdom as a whole, regardless of the tragedy which would be inflicted here. "Genevieve," she intoned in a sincere voice, "you cannot possibly hope to fight us. The Princess has taken out all the stops, and is sending her best troops here. If you try to fight, this entire town will be destroyed. I don't want that to happen, and I can tell that neither do you. But together we can stop this; you just have to work with me."

Genevieve did not answer, instead continuing to stare miserably out the window. It was Allie who stepped in with a menacing reply. "The land ownership is our only demand. This land is the only thing that we have left, and nothing else can make up for it. If you can't move on that issue, then we have nothing more to discuss."

Luna could see that the situation was hopeless; she could not possibly broker a settlement without disobeying Celestia's orders. Still, she felt that she had to try, if only for the sake of her conscience. "This fight is hopeless!" she shouted in frustration. "You must negotiate with us or you will all have to die!"

Genevieve spoke one final time. "There is always hope for those of us who still cling to something worth fighting for. Representative, I hope for your sake that you have something like that as well. Now go. This meeting is over."

Turning away from Genevieve, Luna headed for the exit. _Then_ _there is no other way_, she reminded herself. Celestia had considered the situation, and Luna trusted that her sister had chosen the path that would work out best for the kingdom. Much as she would regret the choices and decisions that she was about to make, she intended to carry out her orders to the fullest extent possible.

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot

The elder Princess had spent the past two days deep in study, sometimes in her own personal library and others within the Royal Archives. Still crafting her plans to distribute happiness to the population, Celestia had read and reread all that she could find on magic and thought. Slowly, the plan had begun to take shape within her mind.

It would be a wholly ambitious project, the likes of which had never been seen before in Equestria. An enormous, omnipresent spell, which would keep watch over her citizens and subtly nudge them into their assigned spots in the social ladder, eternally quelling dissent and preserving the order of society.

In the end, the mechanism for the spell had been simple enough. Its presence would permeate all of Equestria, searching for hosts that it had yet to encounter. Upon finding one, it would subtly monitor that pony's mental activities, searching for thought processes and patterns that signified the citizen was engaged in an activity that brought them true happiness. Upon finding one, the spell would cross-reference the activity with a list of images on file, and draw the closest match on the flank of the subject's rear leg. Hopefully, it would serve as a signpost of sorts, directing the civilians that they had found their life's true calling.

A spell of this magnitude and complexity had never before been attempted, so the Princess took some time to create a scaled-down version that could be used as a test case. Now, in the early morning hours of a new day, she was ready for the final test.

However, fine-tuning the parameters to make it as unobtrusive as possible had proven a challenge. Today, Celestia stood high atop her personal tower, surveying Canterlot as it woke from its nightly rest. Focusing now, she built the spell layer by layer, letting its rules and constraints flow out into the air. This prototype version lacked the power to penetrate more than a few yards away from her, but it had all the mechanisms available to do its work. Finishing up the construction, Celestia let the magic run free, and immediately felt the spell dig its way back into her mind.

For a moment, the Princess didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. She continued to gaze upwards at the shining sun, feeling its warmth coalesce into her bloodstream, drawing strength from its nurturing rays. In the light of dawn, Celestia always felt a newfound strength course through her, and a profound peace settle on her heart. Today it seemed slightly improved.

Turning to look at her rear leg, Celestia saw that the magic had done its work, in this case inscribing a large image of the rising sun in her skin. If it continued the way it was designed to, the mark would afford the Princess a certain affinity for the sun, and would continue to brighten her day whenever she gazed upon it.

But for the moment, Celestia had bigger problems to deal with. Now that the spell was proven to work, she knew it needed to be implemented at once. There was only one problem remaining, and that was power. In order to permeate the entire country, and last indefinitely as well, the spell would have to be cast using much more power than Celestia had personal access to. The Elements of Harmony could do it perhaps, but Celestia had never been able to wield them alone, as their power was derived from the sisterly connection she shared with Luna, and her younger sister was away, performing another vital part of her plan. No, she would require something else if she was to make this happen. It might not necessarily be entirely legal, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

In her trawls through the ancient magical tomes that she kept in her personal library, Celestia had found whisperings of a greater magical power than could be harnessed by a single mind. Supposedly, several ancient sorcerers had experimented with the power, and most of them perished because of it. Those that survived were forever changed by its influence. This so-called "dark magic" could be summoned only by those with sufficient skill, but it offered nearly unlimited power to its wielder. Historically, only one being had ever fully mastered its effects. That unscrupulous character was now adorned as a statue in the Canterlot gardens. Although the Princess still absolutely despised her former enemy Discord, she was on a truncated timetable, and had no other options at the moment, and so had committed herself to studying the necessary rites and rituals to call on this power.

Retiring inside the castle again, Celestia slowly made her way down various flights of stairs, penetrating farther and farther into the crypts. The ancient texts all agreed that dark magic was of the earth, and could only be summoned when in total communion with the planet. In Celestia's case, she would use the old caverns beneath the city, though they too brought back unfortunate memories, as they were linked to the cave system that Seraph had built his lair in.

Finally finding the darkened chamber that she had prepared the previous night, Celestia lit the room's sole candle, casting flickering shadows deep into the recesses of the caverns. Crystalline structures stretched upwards to untold heights, reflecting the light of the candle in dazzling cascades. But tonight Celestia only had eyes for the ceremony she had prepared herein.

Confusingly, the rituals required for the summoning of dark magic were lengthy and specific, compared to the relative simplicity with which unicorns were able to summon their own natural abilities. Still, Celestia had taken her time in gathering the necessary ingredients: a dragon's claw, a gryphon's feather, and (most confounding of all) a fresh blade of grass, cut to precisely two and a quarter inches long. Only one element now remained, and the summons would be complete. Sitting down and biting her tongue, Celestia reached up to her forehead, grasping a hammer and chisel.

Contrary to appearances, unicorn horns were actually delicate and sensitive structures, and so it was not without some considerable pain that Celestia broke off the tip of her horn to complete the mixture. Taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart, she placed the horn shard into a bowl with the other elements, and then used the candle to set the contents aflame.

The ingredients burned slowly, and for a moment Celestia fervently wished that nothing would happen, and she could be rid of this ridiculous affair. But for the good of her people, the Princess knew that she had to endure. Suddenly, the flame caught in the bowl, and a great smoke filled the room. Coughing for several seconds, Celestia finally re-opened her eyes to see that the dim grey swirls were rearranging themselves into a recognizable form. Although Celestia was familiar with the face that now gazed back at her, she would have preferred to have been looking at just about anything else in that moment.

"Hello, _Princess_," intoned Discord with a flashy grin. "How can I be of service?"


	11. Chapter 11: Dark Times, Dark Measures

****[A/N: I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter, as it involves two of my favorite characters, and reveals a connection between them that is quite unexpected. Celestia and Discord are fated to meet many times over the course of history, and each time truly is an epic moment.

Lately, I've been thinking a great deal about the endgame of this continuity, Act V. It's going to introduce some much more mature themes and imagery. Unfortunately, it will probably require the M rating, since there will be blood, a fair amount of death, and some very mature metaphors made. Still, I think it offers quite an appropriate ending to the main continuity.

In any event, Chapter 11 is now yours to enjoy. Please do so at your leisure.]

* * *

**Chapter 11: Dark Times, Dark Measures**

At least it was only Discord's head that had materialized out of the swirling mists in the center of the cavern. The still flickering candlelight cast deep shadows on his features from underneath, only accentuating the crooked and discontinuous nature of his visage. Looking upon the face of her greatest enemy once more, Celestia felt all the old hatred again resurface. From the time of her earliest youth, she had struggled against Discord's oppression of her people. It seemed that in order to succeed here, she would have to best him once again.

Although the texts that described the dark magic rituals mentioned that the previous Master generally encoded the summoning process with their own personal flair, Celestia hadn't quite steeled herself enough for this sort of encounter. For his part, Discord cast his sight lazily about the room, taking in what there was to see. The distorted reflections in the myriad crystals of the cavern roof appeared to interest him particularly.

Finally, Discord spoke. "Three hundred years I have waited for something to do, for someone to finally come along and give me a respite from the hours of boredom and despair. While I knew that my ties to the dark magic would probably give me this opportunity at some point, I don't think I ever imagined that it would be _you_, dear Princess that would end up waking me."

Swirling about her head in a wisp of cloud, the old ruler of Equestria whispered into her ears. "You and that sister of yours were always so perfect, so unblemished and pure. What brings the saintly protector of the free world to my doorstep, hmm? What has caused you to desire the power that I may grant thee?"

Having asked his first question, Discord settled once again in the center of the room, expectantly waiting for an answer. Celestia had of course read the books and knew the general course that this encounter was going to take. Still, having to justify herself in Discord's presence made her all the more uncomfortable. Speaking with confidence, she proclaimed, "I ask only for the strength to protect my own people, to save them from the harm they would wreak upon themselves. When that is done, I will have no further need of your power."

Discord darkened the light of the room, and his form spread out into a dense fog. His voice permeated from seemingly all around Celestia. Clear irritation in his tone, he spoke. "Down here, you don't get to make any of the rules, my dear. You may get precisely what you want as Princess, but there are forms to be observed around here, much as I may personally resent them. Do you think that this is some kind of buffet line? Take what you want and leave the rest? Dark magic is an all-or-nothing thing. When you make that choice, there will be no turning back from whatever path you take."

Marshalling back into a recognizable form, Discord recommenced wandering the room, leaving Celestia to again ponder the potential consequences and ramifications of her decisions. She had only to look at the track record of those before her to understand the risks of accepting the dark magic. Seventeen different sorcerers had perished in attempting to control the ebbs and flows of its power. The only one who had survived was not quite the sort of role model she would have liked to have. Still, there was no other way to get her spell operational in time. Regardless of the potential consequences, Celestia knew she would have to push on. The needs of her people were simply bigger than any personal doubts she might have.

"How did you find the summoning procedure?" asked Discord out of the blue, snapping Celestia's thoughts back to the present. The ethereal spirit was now examining the smoldering contents of the bowl Celestia had prepared. "Dragon's claw, gryphon's feather, and blade of grass; I always thought that had a certain ring to it," he said before snickering audibly.

Celestia only rolled her eyes. Discord's inability to focus on any topic for more than several seconds was proving to be maddeningly distractive. She fervently wished that he would just get on with the proceedings, but from the playful glimmer in his eyes, Celestia could tell that he was just getting started.

"Those first two were so boringly necessary, so in line with all the rest of that 'ancient ritual' hoo-hah. Any sorcerer worth half his salt would have them lying around his laboratory. But what would be more demeaning for an egotistical conjurer than to have to go out and cut some grass, then obsess about trimming it to precisely the right length?" Casting his gaze sidelong for a moment, Discord thought out loud in a wistful voice. "Actually, now that we're here I am a little peeved that you got the grass right on the first try. I had some particularly nasty things planned for anyone who was off in their measurements."

At this Celestia cleared her throat, wishing that she had some means to force his hand and finally get her magic. Unfortunately, he was the old Master, and the choice was ultimately his. Spying her impatience, Discord's face sprouted a pair of disembodied hands, which unrolled a large parchment. Fixing a pair of reading glasses to his face, he addressed Celestia in a flat monotone. "Well, if you're going to be that way, then I guess I had best get started on the standard spiel. Let's see, legal disclaimers, gag orders, etc. etc. You know, I had these same regulations read to me when I was in your shoes, and they didn't make any sense to me back then either."

Sensing that another one of his rants was coming on, Celestia offered only a noncommittal "Oh?" before settling down against the back wall.

"Indeed," Discord continued, reading now from the parchment. " 'At no point is the recipient to misuse his/her dark powers or present the holding of such as undesirable or otherwise inferior, with the penalty for such offenses being loss of the aforementioned power.' I'll tell you, I spent years trying to break that rule, and look where I am now, still full to the brim with dark energy. I mean, whoever wrote that one probably had an even bigger sense of humor than I do."

Celestia continued to relax against the side of the cave as Discord waxed on about the vagaries of the strictures surrounding the use of and uses for dark magic. Stifling a yawn, her thoughts turned towards Luna, who by now would probably be attempting to negotiate with the Ponyville rebels. Celestia knew that the negotiations were not going to go well. She had specifically ordered her sister not to budge on the land ownership issue, and she knew that that was the only thing the rebels cared about. Whatever happened, it was imperative that a battle was fought. Imperative to the rest of the plan. Luna might not immediately realize it, but the lives that would be lost in Ponyville were a necessary cost, the price that would be paid to ensure centuries of peace. In the end, Celestia was sure that her sister would see the truth.

Mid-rant, Discord stopped to notice that not only was Celestia no longer paying attention, she appeared to have dozed off. Grabbing a hot ember from the smoldering remains in the bowl, Discord pressed it to the chipped segment of Celestia's horn, knowing that the sensitive nerves would take only a few seconds to wake her up. Celestia awoke with a scream of agony, clutching instinctively at the tip of her forehead. Discord withdrew the ember, and retreated to the rear of the room. Speaking boldly again, he proclaimed, "Since it seems that you do not care for the rest of the rules, perhaps it is time we move on to tonight's feature presentation. If you so will it, I will grant you that which you desire. Step forward to claim it."

Now that the moment had finally arrived, Celestia was eager to get on with the proceedings and the rest of the plan. However, before she could reach him, Discord spoke one final time. "Oh, one last thing. I am contractually obligated to offer one standard warning concerning the destructive potential of dark magic. Its ability to twist and subvert the natural order of the world is unmatched. You need only remember me to see the potential consequences of giving oneself up to it."

That final remark gave Celestia pause. It had always been her intent to take the magic for just this one purpose, and then forget about it for the rest of her life. But indeed, this power would have a life of its own, a will to dominate her own sense of determination. In the end, it would be a fight if she hoped to maintain her own free personality. For the last time, Celestia considered the responsibility she held for the lives of all her people. When she and her sister had committed to this cause, both of them had pledged to sacrifice whatever was necessary to protect their kingdom's security and freedom. In several days, Luna would be ready to sacrifice her own life if need be, in battle against rebel forces. Given this chance, she knew she had no right to refuse the responsibility.

And so Celestia stepped forward to the center of the room, ready to sacrifice even her own form for the good of her people. Swirling forward to meet her, Discord conjured a dark ball of spiraling energy, holding it just above Celestia's face. Bolts of lightning crackled from its center, and striations of dark purple seemed to draw the light of the room into the core of the orb. Celestia was conscious of the fact that the room had become noticeably darker. Looking up into Discord's face, she heard his voice in her mind. "_Thrust forward your horn of power, and partake in what I have to offer. Or, leave at once, and forever wonder about my secrets._" Without hesitation, Celestia plunged her horn into the dark orb.

For several seconds, Celestia felt herself drifting in a shapeless, colorless void. She still maintained the sense of her body, still felt even the reverberating twinges of the chip in her horn, so she knew she was still alive. After some time, she materialized in a small field. Attempting to get her bearings, she noticed that it was the middle of the night, and there was a small log cabin immediately to her right. Far out on the horizon, she recognized the profile of the mountains, cutting away to the west. On the western slopes of those mountains she expected to find the city of Canterlot, but in this view, the spot that the city occupied was bare. Seemingly, then, this scene was taking place in the ancient past, long before even Discord had come to rule Equestria. Sensing a presence behind her, Celestia whipped about to see that Discord was standing there, in his full form now. He spoke to her then in a low voice. "Now that we are connected in our magical power, you have earned the right to one of my darkest secrets, and an eternal warning about the choice you have just made. See that cabin? It was my home in this world, before I became what I am today. It was a home that I made for myself and my love. There we made a happy and carefree life, and raised a strong family. At the moment, I am out in the forest, gathering wood, and my wife and two children are sleeping in the house."

Celestia continued to observe the scene, silently watching for whatever it was that Discord intended to show her. All at once, she sensed a certain low thrumming in the air, a small degree of nearly electrical suspense. Without warning, a large boulder fell from the sky, glowing with heat and carrying a great deal of energy. It impacted directly onto the small cabin, erupting in a fiery explosion and utterly demolishing the residence, leaving behind only a smoking crater. It was immediately clear that none of Discord's family could have survived. She turned back to him, and a solitary tear curled its way down his cheek.

"A meteor," he said, his voice cracking ever so slightly, "a trillion to one chance. In one small cosmic accident, the great loves of my life were taken from me, without a chance to say good-bye, or for me to see them that one last time." With his words, Celestia observed a light brown unicorn emerge from the woods, galloping at full speed. Momentarily taken aback, she glanced again at Discord, "Is that…?"

"Yes," he replied, "though it's not entirely obvious from my present appearance, I was once a pony of Equestria. But dark times led me to become something else entirely." Around them, the scene shifted to a deep, dark, forest. Discord's past self wandered in among the fallen trees, stumbling over rocks and pausing every so often to weep and rest. "As you would likely surmise, there was no limit to the depths of my grief. I wandered in the forest for some days, without eating or drinking, and sleeping only when I could walk no longer. In my dreams, I marveled at the improbabilities. A random perturbation in a system of thousands of patterns had eternally erased my life. What sense was there in continuing?"

The scene went dark once more for several seconds, and then brightened again into a hemmed-in forest clearing. The area was roughly circular, and Celestia immediately sensed the telltale magical aura that the place held. Discord's past form shambled its way through the leftmost edge of the trees, and collapsed to the ground in front of them. Behind her, her old enemy continued to narrate the scene. "After four days and nights, I was at the edge of death. I welcomed it freely, knowing that it was precisely what I deserved to make up for the continued implausibility of my own life. If I had not been out chopping that wood, I would never have had to live with this loss. But, it seemed the world had other chaotic variations to throw my way that night."

Celestia already understood the implied direction of this vision. The first Dark Master had been lost to history ages ago, but he would have set up the summoning process as he saw fit. It seemed a ludicrously improbable coincidence that Discord would have stumbled into just the right forest clearing, but he had awoken the Dark Master's summons. When presented with the prospect of unlimited power, how could Discord have refused? He would have only had one desire, and the power of dark magic could surely have granted it. But over time, as he lost his resolve, the dark will and power had consumed him, taking his mind along for the ride. Turning to him with compassion, she asked, "Did you ever see them again?"

In discomfort, he turned away. "Yes. For a few brief years, we were together again. But over that time, the dark magic ate away at me from the inside. I had terrible nightmares, and the physical symptoms began to manifest themselves after only a few months. In the end, I was driven away from them, cast out of society as the monster I had become. And so, with nothing else left, I gave myself up to the darkness, embraced the innate chaos of the universe, those freak occurrences that had cost me the only semblances I ever had of normalcy. For some time, I drifted about from place to place, but it wasn't long before I met our mutual acquaintance, The Emperor. He agreed to set me up as ruler of Equestria, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Celestia suddenly found herself back in the caverns beneath Canterlot. The space was once again lit by the flicker of the candle, and Discord was once again merely a face of wispy smoke, floating just in front of her. Celestia could feel the dark magic simmering at the base of her skull, demanding attention and thought, but for the moment she ignored it. Whatever happened, she was not about to let it ruin her as it had its previous Master.

With the ceremony completed, Discord's visage began to fade. Still, he whispered to Celestia, "Now, dear Princess, you are aware of my deepest secrets. We share a connection, you and I, which nothing can sever. Unfortunately for either of us, circumstances do not allow us to become friends. When we meet again, remember that I serve the darkness now, and you continue to serve the light. Verily I say, we shall meet to do battle many times more. Now, however, our time together has concluded. The dark power is yours, to dispense as you wish, and you shall have to deal with its consequences in your own way. For your sake, I hope that you can do better than I did. Goodbye, dear Princess." With a final breath, his face dissipated entirely, leaving Celestia once more alone in the room.

For several seconds, the Princess merely stood still and let the revelations run through her mind. Although the connections that herself and Discord shared remained a shock, she would have time to think about such things later. Noticing that the candle had burned down several inches, she realized a great deal of time must have passed. If she was to have any hope of implementing the final stages of her plan, she would need to be off at once. Leaving the caverns quickly and exiting the palace, she passed Discord's vitrified body on her way through the gardens. Thanks to the dark magic's presence in her mind, she could feel his consciousness held at bay there, thinking over the events it had caused. Unfortunately, Celestia knew that they would never be able to share such an intimate moment again. In the future, they would meet as the champions of their respective sides, turning their wills against each other in the eternal struggle between light and darkness, order and chaos.


	12. Chapter 12: Loyalties

****[A/N: Right, so I have a big surprise coming up at the end of Act II. Seriously, I am looking forward to this, just as a sign of how far we have come, and what a bright future there is to look forward to. I hope you will all be pleased once it does arrive.

Anyway, one can probably see by the look of the plot that all the threads are converging for a climax soon. Indeed, coming up very quickly is the Battle of Ponyville, the ramifications of which will shape the history of Equestria for thousands of years. The Act won't be done just yet after that though, as the schism of the royal family will still have to commence.

In any event, this is Chapter 12, please enjoy.]

* * *

**Chapter 12: Loyalties**

Two Days after Gabe's return to Cloudsdale

Gabe Sotheby pulled himself groggily from bed. Gazing outside, he could see that it was already well into the afternoon. Still, after a night spent in troubled sleep, he could barely call himself rested. For two days and nights, he had hardly been able to get any true rest. Despite all attempts to get his life back to normal, his thoughts always turned back to his ordeals on the surface. Had he made the right decisions? Was it within his rights to deny them the help he could have offered? Sometimes, he would just see images of Genevieve in his mind, her features framed by the twilight of the Everfree forest. Given another chance, he would have done anything to be able to redo that last day they had spent together.

But that was all in the past now, his subconscious kept telling him. In the back of his mind, he wondered how Genevieve and her neighbors would be getting on. The Princess' army would be on its way to put down their rebellion now. He felt a slight shudder pass down his spine. Were they even still alive?

On this day, he didn't bother with any of his usual grooming routine. Lately, he had been unable to summon the energy for even such simple tasks. His parents were gone at this time of day, off doing their own respective jobs. On the day he had returned, they had of course peppered him with questions, but had soon noticed that he just needed to be alone with his thoughts. At least they had stopped pestering him about his future life plans, for the moment.

Rummaging about in the family cupboards, he was startled to realize just how unappetizing the rationed food now seemed. Only a few meals on the ground, and already it seemed that his tastes were spoiled. As he settled down with several slices of the bread distributed to every other citizen of Cloudsdale, he tried to imagine it as some of Armand de Cassie's favorite multigrain offerings. Unfortunately, the dry taste and brittle texture broke the illusion immediately, and the distilled rainwater on offer was only a poor imitation of the mineral water that had been on tap in Ponyville. It seemed that wherever he looked, he was reminded of the sights, sounds, and smell of the surface. Unable to finish the bread, he walked outside, and began to wander through the city.

All around him, the city continued to go about its daily business. Those who noticed his passage stopped to welcome him home, but after the usual exchange of pleasantries, they all went back to work. He wandered aimlessly for some time, thinking and rethinking the choices he had made, and all that had brought him to what seemed like a crossroads of his life, although if that was the case, Gabe wasn't even sure what his choices were. Slowly, he realized that what he needed most of all was closure. If he couldn't put his experiences with the earth ponies behind him, he would be forever stuck in this downward cycle. Right now, he needed answers, and there was only one place that he could go to find them.

Gabe didn't usually go to the library. In fact, he could barely remember where it was, nestled on a low side street in the administrative sector. Looking at it now, he did marvel somewhat at the front-facing colonnade. The Pegasi had historically been an oddly dichotomous race, some caring only for feats of strength and speed, while others had wholly concerned themselves with development of the mind. So, even though the Flight Academy to the north was the city's most recognizable landmark, this library had been built with loving care as well.

Momentarily uncertain, Gabe paused outside the high archway of the main entrance. For a moment, he couldn't quite figure out where his hesitancy was coming from. From his youth, he had been taught many things about the surface, about how his people had fled here after facing persecution, about how the sky was the only safe place for a Pegasus these days. But in his few days down on the ground, those firmly held beliefs had been shaken. In their final meeting, Genevieve had mentioned to him that the Pegasi and earth ponies had once been allies, and must stand together through any trial. Perhaps now he was fearful that she would be proven right by what lay inside these walls? Would it then be better that he leave now, and attempt to convince himself that he had made the right decisions, regardless of the outcome?

No, he realized, that would be the coward's way out. Whatever unfortunate revelations were waiting for him here, he could only live with himself if he took them in step, and reacted accordingly. Pushing open the large door, he found himself in a dim chamber, lit only by small rays of sunlight that slanted down through several skylights in the roof. Looking around, Gabe was suddenly surprised by how few books there were in the library. Then again, he realized, paper was certainly a premium commodity here in the sky, and without any form of medium for written words, there would likely not have been any new entries here for hundreds of years. With any luck, finding the material that he was interested in would not take too much time.

Taking several steps forward, Gabe was momentarily surprised to find Alicia Kleever hunched over a reading table. Since it was the middle of the afternoon, most of the other citizens and young Pegasi were performing their duties to society, or else enjoying the free air. Then again, if anyone was going to be in the library right now, the bookish student would have been his first guess.

Approaching her table, he spoke up softly, "Hey Alicia, um, I was wondering if you could help me find a book?"

Alicia looked up, immediately recognizing him. Brushing aside her loose mane, she smiled. "Oh sure, Gabe. It's a small enough library that we shouldn't have any problems. What did you have in mind?"

Her smile was totally disarming, and Gabe was honestly shocked with himself for the moment. Before his time on the surface, the idea of approaching Alicia and asking for help would have turned his knees to jelly. Now, he had just done it without even thinking. Without him realizing it, something had certainly changed while he had been away.

Now though, he found himself characteristically uncertain. "Umm, I'm not too sure actually. I don't have all that much experience in libraries. But I know I'm looking for something old, preferably with a historical focus."

"Ancient history, huh?" she replied nonchalantly. "That sure doesn't remind me of the Gabe Sotheby that I remember. But that doesn't actually narrow it down so much. There hasn't been any raw parchment in Cloudsdale for two hundred years, so just about this whole library could be classified as ancient from the present perspective."

"As far back as possible," he replied with some confidence now. "I have questions that need answering."

"Don't we all?" she replied in a tone that was almost wistful. Still, sensing the determination in his words, Alicia led him to one of the dustier corners of the room. The volumes on these shelves were clearly showing their age, faded and dusty from many years spent in the library. Some were only loosely bound sets of sheets, with writing scribbled in various forms of longhand. While handing him several books, Alicia remarked "As far back as possible narrows it down to our Formation series, the oldest works in Pegasus history. Several of these books date back even to before the construction of Cloudsdale. Unfortunately, the writing style is usually quite dry, so don't expect many laughs." She helped him carry the stack of books back to a secluded table.

"If you need anything, I'll be right across the room. Please remember to put them back when you're done with them." Having finished, Alicia turned to walk back to her own studies. Gabe wondered for a second what had been so different about their conversation compared to the others he had had these past few days. Then it hit him. Alicia hadn't passed any comment on his time away, hadn't asked any probing questions about what the surface was like. Studying her again for a moment, he sensed some faint memories of Genevieve floating around her visage in his mind. Still, there was far more pressing work to be done.

Pulling the first book off the stack and blowing the dust away, Gabe opened the thick tome gingerly, hoping for luck. As he settled down to read, he thought over the questions that needed to be answered. Why had the Pegasi secluded themselves from the world? Was there a debt of loyalty to be paid? If he could assuage himself of his proper reasoning, then maybe he could finally put away thoughts of this ordeal and get on with the rest of his life.

For the better part of the next hour, Gabe skimmed the contents of the pile of literature on the desk. As per Alicia's promise, most of it was dry historical accounts, or worse, inventories of the materials needed to construct the city of Cloudsdale. Several times, he sensed his concentration drifting from the task at hand. When this happened, he would usually take out a new book, hoping for something noteworthy, or at least content that was pertinent to his questions.

Finally, he finished the last of the bound volumes, moving then to the loose sheets that were kept together only by twists of twine in their upper-left corners. The writing on these sheets was a nearly imperceptible faded scrawl, and the language, despite still consisting of the common tongue, was an archaic dialect that Gabe often found difficult to decipher. Still, the contents of these letters had clearly been laid out well before the agreed-upon "history" of the Pegasi had been established.

After a short, dry preamble, the script changed to one consisting of long, flowing loops and straight edges. Apparently the writer had been somewhat indecisive, as sections were struck off before continuing again. With interest, Gabe began to read this new section:

"_Here follows the final account of Altas, last High Master of the Order of Air, on the history of the race of the Pegasi, and the fate of our order:_

_"Mine has always been a life of seclusion, a life spent in silent contemplation of the mysteries of this world. In ages past, we flitted about from isle to isle, peak to peak, and cloud to cloud, never able to find peace or respite from the curiosities that always beset our minds. It was only under my leadership that our people have come to enjoy any sense of normalcy, of camaraderie. With the help of our allies on the surface, we have established a great school here in the clouds, and draw ever closer to our goals: a mathematical understanding of the nature of flight, and a means to bring its divine magic to all ponies, not only those blessed with the gift by birth._

_"But, as we neared the fruits of our long labors, history conspired against us in its tempestuous ways. The tenuous peace that held the tyrant Discord in power was broken, and all of this land was thrown into disarray. From the confusion, the two Princesses emerged, shining stars of hope and salvation for the citizens of our nation. However, it did not take long for them to reveal their true natures. Threatened with the dissolution of my order, of the loss of all that I had worked for, and aware of the power vested within the Princesses by our people, I chose to run, to exile myself and my race forever in the sky. Now, as I can see the last ends of my own life appearing, I must come to terms with this decision._

_"I fear for the ponies that walk the Earth. That they may suffer under the rule of a further dictatorship while we cower in our new home is the guilt that I shall bear for the remainder of my life. Ever has my goal been unrestricted freedom for all. Now, however, I am faced with the reality that given the opportunity to stand by this goal, I have failed._

_"To any pony that would learn from my mistakes, I say this. We cannot see ourselves as three races, for divided we shall fall to those that would seek to separate us. We must forever stand as one people, united in facing all that this world would throw in our path._

_"Though the unicorns may sit in their implacable halls of stone, the Pegasi may float miles above the sky, and the ponies of the Earth may revel in the creations of their hooves, we are nothing unless we can stand together in defending that which is ours against those who would wish it harmed._

_"Now, as I lie dying this day, I see that my decision to flee into seclusion with the rest of my race was the greatest mistake of my life. Were I to be given the next chance, I would never again abandon my friends of the Earth to whatever fate awaits them. Through all trouble and strife, if we cannot be loyal to each other, then we cannot be called friends, or allies."_

As the scrawl on the page ended, Gabe released a breath that he had not realized he'd been holding. Looking nervously about the room, he tried to suppress the feverish excitement he now felt building within him. All of a sudden, he felt the barriers and constructs that society had built crumbling away. There never had been any "persecution" of the Pegasi, at least not from all the citizens of the Earth. Instead, they had been forced out by the Princesses. The same Princesses that now were bent on the destruction of Genevieve's people? All of a sudden, Gabe needed some fresh air. Running out of the library, he wasted no time in climbing up into the sky and putting some distance between himself and the city.

The final words of Altas seemed the most poignant of all, and now they rang within his mind like an ever-present echo: "if we cannot be loyal to each other, then we cannot be called friends". Now that he knew that there were no physical or demographic boundaries separating the Pegasi from the ponies of the Earth, he knew what his duties were. In a friend's time of need, their allies could only take one course of action. Now, the only things he needed were time, a strategy, and perhaps a little bit of help.

Hovering in place for a second, he turned around to see that he was now far from Cloudsdale. Far enough, he hoped, that what he was about to do next wouldn't break any windows. At the same time, however, it would be nice if the other citizens got a good look at the spectacle. Concentrating within, he again let the sounds of the weather ring through his mind. As he had flown around since returning to the sky, he had felt the winds whispering in his ears like before, only now their conversations were clear to him; their objects open to his every whim and desire. With a thought, he could summon a haze of fog, a thunderous storm, or bone-chilling winds. Privately, he realized that Genevieve had been right. With him on their side, the rebels stood a reasonable chance of success, even outnumbered. Still, he had a few days to prepare, and a few new recruits couldn't hurt the cause either.

Concentrating on the proper intonations, he built up a menacing thunderhead, feeling the lightning crackle throughout the mass of cloud. Moving along with it, he brought the storm cloud to within a few hundred feet of Cloudsdale, and loosed a torrent of rain from the cloud adjacent to the city. Emerging from the tempest, he could see citizens of the city beneath him, frantically pointing upwards, stilled from their normal routines to watch the spectacle.

Over the next few minutes, Gabe gave them a sight to remember. Like an orchestral conductor, he managed the storm, sending down gentle rain followed by a fierce blizzard, followed by an electrical storm of unmatched magnitude. As he saw the recognition register on the face of the citizens gathered beneath him, he created a gentle snowfall for them, letting the large flakes slowly settle upon the city, before being melted almost immediately by warm sunlight that he brought afterwards. Slowly, the crowd warmed to the demonstration, even offering enthusiastic cheers at each new spectacle.

Finally, by way of grand finale, he maneuvered the storm into an all-encompassing behemoth, completely surrounding the city with a maelstrom of thunder and swirling wind. But over Cloudsdale itself he maintained a bright pillar of sunlight. Every observer needed only look out over the city's edge to see the ferocity of nature on display as Gabe slowly drifted down onto the main city plaza. As he touched down, the storm dematerialized immediately, to be replaced by sprawling rainbows that coalesced from west to east, north to south.

Standing tall amongst his fellow citizens, Gabe took in their expressions of wonder and disbelief. The curiosity would follow, and he would gladly teach his secrets to all who would hear them. When the time came in several days, Gabe was sure that his triumphant return to the surface would be accompanied by a force that could turn the tide of any battle. _Stand firm, Genevieve_, he thought to himself, _you've still got friends to count on._


	13. Chapter 13: Necessities

[A/N: It's the middle of mid-term exams right now so I haven't had much time to write, but luckily I banked up a couple of chapters so I can continue to meet the schedule. I do have one piece of news, concerning the "surprise" that I mentioned last chapter. As it happens, I suck at keeping secrets, and I also need some help from the community to decide what to do, so here goes.

The surprise will take the form of an excerpt from some small writings I have finished from Act IV: The Fall. I experimented a little with the character models for that late in the story, and I'd like to release some snippets as a sort of sneak peek. However, I would like to offer the readers a choice of which excerpt in particular should see the light of day. To that end, I have created a forum for this story:

/myforums/cursedchords/4175213/ (With the FanFiction URL on the front of course.)

and a poll therein. The details about the poll can be found in the Story Announcements thread.

Anyway, thank you kindly to all the fans that have donated some time to this universe. There is plenty more content to come.]

**Chapter 13: Necessities**

One Week after the destruction of the bridge;

Six Days after Gabe's return to Ponyville

With a flash, Princess Celestia materialized in the center of the Everfree Forest, precisely where she had wished to arrive. She had visited this location only once before in her youth, but that particular day was so ingrained in her memory that she would never forget the coordinates of this site. Plus, she had looked up the location in the ancient history books just to be on the safe side.

Hundreds of years previously, when the ancient Order of Earth was still vibrant and active, this place had been their center of operations, their bastion of reason and love against a chaotic world. Celestia was pleased to see that despite centuries of neglect, the wonderful forest was still lively and peaceful. When things quieted down somewhat, perhaps she would consider building a summer residence in this area.

In the forest clearing where she now stood, seven great trees formed a rough circle. In ages past, their branches had been woven together by adepts of the Order of Earth to form the great citadel of Everfree, from which this forest had taken its name. Since the order had dissolved centuries ago, the trees had grown rough and wild, and now spread their unkempt foliage across the clearing. Still, Celestia had no doubt that much of the internal structure of the fortress remained. Striding forward, she stepped through the roughly arched entrance, into what had once been a salubrious courtyard, now of course overgrown and disheveled. As she made her way up through the structure, Celestia reflected on the brief day she had spent here so long ago. She had been barely in her twenties, brimming with magical energy, and ready to finally take on Discord in battle for the fate of her nation. Now though, thinking back to those days, and how she had used the Elements of Harmony to vanquish her foe, sent a shudder through her body.

She knew, of course, what the issue was. It was the dark magic within her, rebelling against her associations with the powers of the Light. Before she had set out on this journey, she had returned to her private chambers one last time, to gaze upon her personal half the Elements' Ring (Luna kept the other half in her own private place). As she took in the bright glow of the gems' magical radiance, she could _feel_ the dark magic inside her, rising up to assert its place against the influence of her own inner magic. Celestia felt as though her mind was being torn in separate directions, as disjointed images passed before her eyes. For the moment, she had been able to reassert control, and had promptly locked the Elements back into her bedside table. Still, the experience troubled her, mostly because it would probably continue to worsen as the dark magic asserted itself further into her psyche.

But tonight she would have to put all that behind. For her spell to work, she would have to make the dark and light magic work together, for the good of all her people. Arriving now at her destination, Celestia strode out onto the high roof of the citadel, and looked out upon the neighboring area. Twilight had just fallen, and the forest itself was cloaked in shadows. To the north, the village of Ponyville was dark for the most part, lit only by the fires of the ponies on watch. Also visible was the large encampment of the Royal Army, several miles farther away. The signal fires of the camp were numerous and bright, and Celestia's heart warmed slightly to find that the rest of the plan was progressing so smoothly. She admired the scene for a moment, as it seemed so tranquil. If all went as desired, it would only require a few hours for exactly the opposite to be true.

Cloudsdale; One hour earlier

Tonight was the night. Although Gabe would have preferred to get in a little bit more practice and training time with his new recruits, he could not justify delaying any longer, since Genevieve and her other allies were probably fighting for their lives on the surface right now. To have gone through all this work only to show up too late to help would be a monumental failure on his part.

Besides him, seven other Pegasi had been chosen to participate in the strike. All in all, Gabe had been quietly impressed by how many citizens had come forward to join with him and his cause. Admittedly, many of them had only vague ideas of what his overarching goals were, but he had been able to keep them on with the promise of adventure and the lure of his own power. While none of these others rivaled him in skill, each could hold their own in combat, and could generate storms with sufficient power to make a difference as logistical support. Gabe only prayed that he wasn't too late.

Tonight, he flew a final inspection run on his carefully prepared troops. Each one hovered at straight attention in a neat row, eyes straight ahead as he passed by. Their eyes held determination, he noted, but none of them knew the grit of combat. Of course, who was he to talk about such things? Gabe was just as green as the rest of them, but he at least had the passion of friendship to drive him forward. Still, when it came down to it, he was sure that these individuals had it in them to make a difference.

For a second, he paused in front of the seventh recruit, who was probably the last Pegasus in Cloudsdale that he would have guessed would join in on this crusade: Alicia Kleever. The star student had approached him only a day after their meeting in the library, with some questions concerning his abilities and his intentions. Surprisingly, he had found himself able to strike up a lengthy conversation with the female, and before he knew what was happening, she was here with the rest of his followers, practicing the song of the winds.

Now that it came down to things, though, he was not so sure about her involvement. Although he didn't like to think about it, the battle ahead was going to be very difficult. There was a high chance of some casualties for his side. If anything were to happen to Alicia, or one of his other followers, Gabe knew he would take the loss personally. However much he tried to rationalize, telling himself that they had all volunteered knowing the risks, he knew that none of that would change the eventual reality. Facing such potential consequences, Gabe had taken one final look at the situation, and come to an honest decision. As always, the last words of Altas gave him strength. _Without loyalty, friendship cannot exist. And without friendship, we are lost._

Alighting in front of the formation, Gabe turned to offer one final address. "Friends," he called out in a strong voice, "tonight stands as the culmination of all our work and study. We shall leave the safety of our high homes, and come to the aid of our allies on the surface in their hour of need. Let it never again be said that the Pegasi will abandon their friends to the fate ascribed to them by their enemies." This was met by a cheer from the seven, which Gabe quieted with a raised hoof.

"Many of you come from disparate houses; differing steps on the social ladder," he continued. "Whereas before we were divided, now we must fight as one, for divided we hold only the power of ourselves, but together we have the potential to bridge any divide, conquer any foe, overcome any adversity. My friends, tonight we undo the errors of our forefathers, and remake the mark of our proud people on the fates of this world. Onwards, to the surface, and the relief of our friends!" With that, he turned, and dove off again through the clouds. He could hear the other seven close behind, keeping formation as they flew along behind. Whatever fate awaited them below, he knew that with each other, they could face it.

Ponyville

It had been a tiring day for Genevieve, as well as the rest of the citizens of Ponyville. After a final inventory, Gus had counted 500 ponies armed and ready to fight. Of them, only about twenty had any real combat experience, and all that came from wrestling wild animals in the neighboring forests. Still, what they lacked in training, her people more than made up for in spirit and passion. She was certain that each and every one would fight with their whole spirit when the time came.

Genevieve may have resigned herself to the idea of this battle, but she was still a realist at heart, and realized that the rebels likely stood a very small chance of success. Earlier that morning, the scouts had first reported sight of the Royal Army, and it seemed as though the representative had indeed been telling the truth: the Princess had pulled out all the stops. As darkness now fell across the land, Genevieve looked out from the town's frontier and could make out dozens of pinpoints of light; the fires of the encampment. The camp seemed to occupy the entire horizon, holding position some three or four miles up the main road. As she looked out at the area, she sensed the overwhelming numbers game.

For not the first time, she thought of Gabe, and how different things could have been if he had agreed to stay. At this point, she would have been fine with just being able to see him one last time, if only for a proper good-bye. Genevieve wasn't the sort of pony to get caught up in frivolous pursuits, especially not at a time like this, but she had to admit to herself that there indeed had been something between them. It seemed as though neither of them had noticed it during their short time together, but Genevieve was just now coming to grips with how much she really did miss the Pegasus. With a sigh, she realized that now at least Gabe would be able to get on with his life. With the size of the Princess' force now revealed, she doubted that even his awesome power would have been able to stand before their might.

As she continued to stare out into the offing, she noticed Allie coming up behind her. For the past few days, she knew she had leaned on Allie more than her friend really deserved, but her steadfast and rock hard determination had become something of a rallying point for the resistance. She had even convinced the normally docile Gus to visit the armory and procure some weaponry for the upcoming battle. Genevieve doubted that he would have much use for it, but in the end, they could use every hoof that was available.

Tonight, Allie was calm, reflective even. "There's a chill in the air," she observed.

"Winter is on its way." Genevieve replied. "Do you think we'll live to see the snow grace our land once more?"

Allie was silent a long moment. "So long as we do live, we'll know that it is still our land for the snow to grace. So long as we can hold true to that, we shall live happily. Should the fight require the ultimate sacrifice, we shall die with honor."

"Allie, cut the crap for a moment!" Genevieve snapped. "I know you give the whole 'die with dignity' lecture to everyone else to keep morale up, but we're best friends. Be honest with me. What hope do we have?"

Coming forward to stand in front of her, Allie offered a thin smile. "You said it right there, Genevieve. So long as we still have each other, we can always hold to hope. The numbers might not be on our side; the logistics might not be with us. But we've got something that all those soldiers don't have: a cause to fight for. They might have the iron and the magic, but we've got the heart. And in that fight, I'll take my chances."

This time, Genevieve returned the smile. So long as they could stay true to each other, there was always room for hope. "Allie," she said one final time. "If it comes down to the two of us, you know I'll have your back, right?"

Allie turned to walk back into town. "And I'll have yours, Genevieve, just like always."

The Royal Camp

Princess Luna, as well, was inspecting her troops, but not in such a formal way as Gabe. The Princess who so preferred the shadows left the meat of military command to the professionals in that regard; she was simply here as envoy of Celestia, and as the most elite soldier in the Equestrian army, to lend her skills where needed. But Luna still liked to be in touch with the troops on the ground, and to be aware of all the pieces that needed to be attended to in a complex situation such as this one.

And so Luna made a point of walking through the camp, around where the soldiers slept and the unicorns continued to practice their skills. In the intervening period after her disastrous attempt at negotiation, she had paid close attention to the regiment of graduates Celestia had attached to the force. The more she observed of them, the more worried Luna became about the potential variables they posed to the course of the battle.

For one thing, the unicorns considered themselves a free legion, independent of the rest of the army and its control structures. Command of the regiment fell to its most senior member, a middle-aged graduate by the name of Shining Light. Although Light was one of the few with some real combat training (Luna herself had taught a few classes at the Order of Starlight back in the day), her independence from the army general staff was troubling. Moreover, from the discussions she heard issuing from the unicorn camp, they seemed to be more concerned with "defending the honor of the High Princess" than any true strategy. Luna didn't like it one bit.

When she considered the general army, the situation was admittedly somewhat better, but only slightly. At least the earth ponies of the Princess' army were trained and drilled properly, even if none of them had ever seen true combat. She could tell that none of them were really expecting true fighting either. Their strong numerical advantage and the presence of the unicorns seemed to have convinced them that whatever engagements lay in store for them would surely be routs. The generals, Luna could tell, had similar ideas. For the moment, she couldn't blame them, but something about their supreme confidence had the Princess on edge. Call it intuition perhaps, but Luna had a feeling that there was much more here than a mere uprising.

She had questioned several randomly-picked soldiers throughout the day, and almost universally found that though they talked tough, the idea of killing fellow citizens, even rebels, offered little inspiration. Meanwhile, the rebels were fighting for a cause, and were sure to fight with the spirit and determination that was only found when one's back was truly against a wall.

Finally arriving back at her own tent, Luna sat down at a nearby fire pit and stared into the flames. When she and Celestia had first pledged to free their people by any means necessary, she had known that nights like this were in store for them. With a melancholy heart, she reflected back on all the unfortunate choices they had had to make already. First had been the Order of Fire: Seraph and his followers, bent on domination and supremacy. That hadn't required much thought, especially since Seraph had tried to murder half of Equestria to achieve his goal. The other three Masters, though… Luna had a harder time justifying their eventual fates to herself.

Over the decades since then, the kingdom had experienced relative peace, at least on the surface. But Luna knew things had still been going on beneath the veneer. Celestia was hyper-alert for any potential threats, and more often than not had dispatched her sister to deal with things. Over three hundred years, a few "intimidations" had morphed into a seemingly-constant string of tasks requiring her "special touch". Now, she had to justify even more civilian blood on her hands.

And Celestia had changed herself over this time. Gone was the spirited, determined young mare that Luna had known in their childhood. Her sister had always been an extroverted, likeable child, which had helped to balance Luna's own brooding behavior from back in those days. Now, the High Princess seldom seemed to leave the confines of her high tower, except for affairs of state or matters of ceremony. Luna could forgive her sister's devotion to the task of leading her subjects, but there was something about her behavior that just didn't quite sit right with the younger Princess.

Still, Luna couldn't doubt her sister's actions. On that fateful night so long ago, she had pledged to eternally stand by Celestia's side, through whatever trials and tribulations might come their way. Her older sister had always maintained her connection with the people; always acted with their interests in mind over her own. Luna had been there too, when The Emperor had changed all their plans; thrown their world into turmoil. Whether she liked it or not, the only option now was to ensure that their rule would stand unrivalled.

And so, regardless of her personal feelings about the matter, Luna knew that her sister had made this choice with only the interests of the people in her heart. Celestia would have made sure to investigate all other possible options before coming to such a harsh conclusion, and knowing this, it was Luna's duty to perform her own role in these proceedings, for good or ill.

Looking upwards for a moment, she caught sight of a young unicorn, a fresh graduate from the Order. Beckoning the unicorn over, she offered a seat by the fire. The younger mare's wide eyes reflected the flicker of the flames as she huddled close for some warmth. Hoping to further assess the mindset of the troops, Luna asked her a loaded question. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

Assuming this to be a test of her attentiveness during the briefing session earlier that afternoon, the unicorn gave a terse reply. "The army will march up to the town under cover of a protection spell. Defensive action only unless we are provoked. We will offer the rebels a chance to surrender, and if they will not, we will make them wish they never sullied the holy name of the High Princess."

"Indeed," Luna stated, with an affirmative nod. At least the unicorns had been paying attention to her. Non-lethal action was to be the name of the game unless force absolutely could not be avoided. Although she was ready to make whatever sacrifice was required, she was going to make every effort to keep her conscience clear. Feeling drowsy, she stepped away from the fire and into her tent. The advance was only a few hours away, and she intended to be well-rested for the affair.


	14. Chapter 14: Ours is not to wonder why

[A/N: It's finally here! The beginning of the great battle of our time, and the final run-up to the great schism of the royal family.

Don't forget that there is now a forum available related to this series where readers can ask questions and discuss opinions. I try to to monitor it as much as possible, and respond to any questions with the best answer available. I'll try to post the forum URL here, but the mark-up protocol responds a little weirdly to it.

www..fanfiction."net"/myforums/cursedchords/4175213/

Note: I had to tweak it just a bit for it to show up, so you won't be able to copy and paste it directly. Just remove one of the dots after the www, and also the quotes around net.

There is also a poll there regarding the release of some sneak peeks of later work in the series. There are only a few chapters left in this story, and if there are no votes received, I suppose I'll just flip a coin. (The poll should also be available from my profile page if that's more convenient.

Anyway, Chapter 14!]

* * *

**Chapter 14: Ours is not to wonder why…**

A cold wind blew out over the field in front of Ponyville as the Royal Army lined up for the march on the rebel stronghold. Although night had fallen, the full moon was bright and high in the sky, and the stars also cast their illumination on the evening, as the sky was clear as crystal. Princess Luna positioned herself near to the center of the formation, far enough forward to be helpful should any combat develop, but far enough back to ensure she was not struck by a stray projectile. So far at least, the operation was progressing according to plans. The main force of soldiers was arranged in square battalions and ranks comprising the main force, and four segments of the unicorn regiment were arrayed on the four corners of the formation. When necessary, they would create an interwoven lattice of protection spells, which would in theory protect the entire army from any missile attacks the rebels had prepared. The rebel army would either have to come out and fight them, or else be chased from their stronghold.

However, even the best-laid plans were never without complication, and Luna kept a close eye out for anything that seemed to be amiss. Given all that she had seen, she simply couldn't shake the feeling that something about this whole situation wasn't quite right. If the battle went south, likely command would fall to her. She was determined to see this through, whatever it took.

After a final check, the order to march was given, and the army, numbering two thousand trained earth pony soldiers and approximately two hundred unicorn experts, began the advance.

Torches burned brightly all along the front garrison of the town. In the bright glow of the moon, the advancing army was visible in the distance from the vantage point where Genevieve now stood. The air was filled with muffled creaks and thuds, as the uneasy defenders shifted in their assigned locations. Even as their experience with combat may have been miniscule, local knowledge about magic was quite nonexistent, so none in the rebel force had any idea what to expect from the upcoming battle. Genevieve had decided to defend as rigorously as possible from the raised and fortified rooftops of the town, and only provoke hand-to-hand combat when necessary. Each of the stations was stocked with rocks, pointed spears, anything that the townsfolk had been able to fashion into projectiles, as well as whatever improvised firing mechanisms had been devised.

As the Royal Army crested the hills immediately in front of the town, Genevieve was in awe of the size and efficiency of the force. The sight of so many ponies marching in crisp order; the sound of the hoof beats reverberating through the night air; it was enough to strike fear into the heart of any defender. Nevertheless, if this was to be their end, they would at least go down with their honor intact.

Allie, who was stationed with her, swept the formation with her keen eyes. "Looks like a fairly standard square formation, several thousand strong. They've got the unicorns positioned on the corners, probably for some kind of defensive magic."

"How far out are they now? We might want to fire off a warning shot just to see how they react."

Allie took a moment to eyeball the distance. "Still out of range, but close enough to get the message perhaps. One shot?"

Genevieve gave the affirmation, and Allie called the order to the gunner immediately in front of them. A solitary stone shot out from the bulwark, arcing gracefully toward the advancing force, before falling to earth perhaps a hundred feet short. Fortunately enough, the Royal Army did seem to get the message, as a few seconds later the air was illuminated by dozens of overlapping spheres of light, emanating from the groups of unicorns positioned to the front of the formation.

The ambience from the magic was enough to illuminate the area to a sort of semi-twilight. In their command outpost, the effect was clearly visible to both Allie and Genevieve.

"Some kind of shield?" Allie asked.

"Probably," affirmed Genevieve. "Hold our fire. We have to wait for another opening."

The Royal Army continued to march several hundred yards more, finally coming to a stop just in front of the town. Both sides exchanged cold stares for a time, until a functionary detached from the army with a single unicorn covering him. The messenger trotted to the front pass of the town, which had been modified into a sort of crude gate. Withdrawing a rolled parchment bearing the royal seal, the stone-faced page called out in a booming voice.

"Residents of Ponyville and the surrounding region! By order of the Princess, this land has been expropriated to the Crown and sold to private interests. Residents were served with a notice of eviction a fortnight ago. This is your last chance to surrender the land peacefully, or you will be forced to capitulate by whatever means are deemed necessary. How do you respond?"

"Well?" Allie asked tersely. "How do we respond?"

Genevieve clapped a hoof lightly onto Allie's front shoulder. "Now that we've come this far, there's no turning back. Give the order for all hands to ready their weapons. For a reply, give them a boulder!"

Luna waited along with the rest of the soldiers to see if this evening would be over before it began. Had the townsfolk come to their senses and realized that the situation was hopeless? The Princess wished with all her heart that such would be the case. But when another rock shot from the center of the fortification, impacting uselessly on the front of the shield, the soldiers knew the answer that they had just received. The order came for the advance to continue. Since they were now well-in-range of the defensive weaponry, the unicorns in the rear also activated their defensive spells, creating an impenetrable dome of cover for the whole formation.

As expected, the town wall erupted in a shower of projectile fire. Rocks, sharpened implements, even what appeared to be deconstructed furniture came hurtling at the army, all of course deflecting harmlessly from the shielding.

All except for one boulder it seemed. Flying in a graceful curve over the front ranks, this particular piece of stone seemed unperturbed by anything that might have been in its way. It took Luna a second to realize it was coming right at her. As the company around her shuffled back in fear, the Princess merely summoned a small degree of magic, neatly catching the stone in mid-air, and tossing it safely aside. Staring at the shocked soldiers immediately behind her, Luna chose to assume some authority. "Back into the ranks, you fools!" she shouted. "And someone get a unicorn up here! We've got a hole in our cover!" Privately Luna was shocked that no one else had seen the vulnerability. With all the spell-casters on the corners, there wasn't enough overlap to shield the center. It was rookie mistakes like this that really set her on edge.

"We almost got one there!" yelled Allie to the gunners in their area. "Redirect fire to the center!"

Unfortunately, since the defenders were operating entirely with improvised slingshots and catapults, accuracy was difficult to come by, and by the time the fighters had found the range, the Royal Army had redistributed its assets to assure even coverage. Now there were literally no vulnerabilities left. Nonetheless, Genevieve gave the order to continue firing. There was simply no other option open to them. Curiously enough, the attacking force was not making any effort to return fire, instead continuing to steadily advance on the wall. Genevieve knew that there must be some reason for this, probably a weapon that had yet to be revealed. As the shields overlapped with the edge of the town, she could see this prediction playing out in front of her.

Groups of soldiers rushed to the base of the fortifications, oblivious to the defensive fire. After several seconds, each knot of combatants had lit large torches, and before long began to set the wooden ramparts ablaze.

In that moment, Genevieve knew that it was over. Turning to Allie, she shouted in the commotion. "They're going to burn us out! We have to fall back!"

"No!" cried her best friend. "We have to keep the high ground, or else we don't stand a chance!"

"We don't stand a chance regardless, Allie! Projectiles are useless, and if we try to take them head-on, we'll be destroyed. We have to retreat, take some time to gauge the situation, and decide on what the best next move is."

Genevieve could see the struggle plain on her friend's face. Having come this far, she was tempted to just lay it all down here as well. To just have it all be over with, and finally accept defeat. But to burn out all their power now, when they didn't stand any chance of even inflicting damage, would be even more futile than the battle itself. She could tell that Allie was thinking the same things.

With a grudging nod, her friend gave a loud shout. "All defenders retreat! Fall back to the forest!"

Down on the field, Luna knew the instant that the retreat occurred, as did everyone else, since the hail of fire suddenly ceased. Moving carefully, the front row of soldiers pried apart the detritus sealing off the main road. Cautiously, the army moved in, wary of a trap. Finding the area now deserted, Luna heard the order that she had been dreading all night: "Right, destroy the town."

The Everfree Forest

As the fire in Ponyville grew, most of the citizens could only stare out from underneath the boughs of the forest with melancholy grief. Others sobbed gently as they rested against the stumps and tree trunks that dotted the area.

Allie and Genevieve each sat upon the grassy ground, holding their final war council. As the wintry breeze whistled through the forest's late fall foliage, setting her teeth on edge, Genevieve realized that this was it. When the final confrontation came, they would have one last choice to make. If they chose to fight, it would be a slaughter. But if they chose to surrender, then they may as well have given up in the first place, and avoided this heartbreak, or at least been able to deal with it in a less traumatic fashion.

In sullen defeat, Genevieve looked up into the heavens, imagining Gabe and his stories of the miraculous city of Cloudsdale. Wherever you are, Gabe, she thought, I'm sorry. We deserved our final chance to say good-bye, but I couldn't see that we were meant for each other. With a final longing glance, Genevieve returned her gaze to the horizon, where the town of Ponyville was now a massive conflagration.

However, it was only several moments later that her attention was grabbed by Allie again, who was standing and watching the sky with a hopeful expression. Turning down to look at her, Allie offered her a wide smile. "Genevieve, I think you might want to look at this."

As Genevieve stood up slowly, the clearing was filled with a sudden downdraft. Looking up, Genevieve caught a look at what was likely the most inspiring view she had ever seen in her life. Arching gracefully in from overhead flew eight Pegasi, with Gabe at their head. Wind whipped over their manes as they made for the clearing. There was of course by now quite a stir on the ground as news of the sighting spread, and excited whispers spread throughout the citizens, signaling the return of the Windcaster.

As he alighted upon the ground, Gabe was immediately wrapped in an embrace from Genevieve, which he lovingly returned. Feeling her again brought home to him then the reality of the situation, and hardened his resolve even further. In a soft voice, he spoke to her. "I can't believe you're all okay. We saw the fire, and, well, I guess we assumed the worst."

Pulling back from his embrace, Genevieve wiped a tear from her cheek. "Until you arrived, I was assuming the worst too. I've missed you Gabe, and I'm sorry for everything that happened between us."

Offering a reassuring smile, Gabe once again placed a hoof around her neck. "And I'm sorry too, Genevieve. You were right all along, and now I am proud that my people and yours can stand and make this battle together."

Immediately, Genevieve's face fell. Allie stepped forward to fill in the details. "The Royal Army has destroyed the town. They're covered from projectiles, and they've got a few thousand trained soldiers. Even with you here, it will be tough."

Gabe still felt flush with confidence. "Get your people together," he said. "I think with a little encouragement and some special assistance, we should come out of this just fine."

For a final time, the citizens of the (now former) town of Ponyville organized themselves into neat rows. Although they had just watched their ancestral holdings burn up in flames and had suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of the Royal Army, the presence of the legendary Windcaster as well as seven other fearsome Pegasi served to brighten the mood somewhat.

Striding proudly in front of the assembled force, Gabe reveled in the attention. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed the nickname "Windcaster". He decided that when all this was said and done, he might adopt it as an official title. All these ponies now looked to him for a final inspiration, a rousing speech to spur them forward to victory. After a short consultation with Genevieve and Allie, a strategy had been worked out which would nullify the army's advantages, and hopefully the element of surprise would give them the edge that was needed. Now, it was his job to make sure the troops got the proper gust in their sails, as it were.

"Brothers and sisters!" he called out to them while pacing about. "The Princess has declared that your land is hers. She has sent out her forces and wiped you aside like a stain on a countertop. I see in your eyes the same surrender that once took my own ancestors; the decision to abandon your honor and flee to what safety is available."

Pausing a moment, he locked eyes with a few members of the crowd. "But where is the dignity of that course? If we forsake our bonds of fellowship, burn the bridges that connect us, and accept defeat so easily as this, we will be forever under the hoof of those that would seek to rule over us. Long ago, my people abandoned this world of the surface, choosing the safety of the clouds to the risks of fighting for freedom. It was a great mistake then, but now we have returned to set it right. Together, we can stand for the qualities that unite us, rather than focusing on the differences that make us separate."

Returning to a pace, he continued, "The Princess can take our material possessions, our homes, our land, even our lives. But if we stand together, and face this foe with united hearts, we have something that she can never take from us. She will never take our loyalty! Nor our love, or bonds of friendship! Tonight, I fly out to stand up for the freedom of our proud race against those who would suppress it. I am proud that the Pegasi can once again stand united with our friends that walk the earth. Together, we shall stand for all that binds us. Forward then, for the freedom of our people!" Ending on a high note, Gabe stretched out his wings to maximize the spectacle. The end of the speech was met with a hearty roar of approval from the assembled multitude.

Genevieve came up to him as the citizens were filing away. "Thank you, Gabe," she stated simply. "For everything. Ever since you came to us, I've known that there was something special to our relationship-"

Gabe silenced her with a finger to her lips. "Enough of that for now," he replied. Then he bent in close and kissed her right on the lips. He held her for a long moment, and then slowly released the embrace. Clearing out his thoughts, he motioned for Alicia and the others to get ready. Turning a final time to Genevieve, he called to her one last time. "Genevieve, good luck out there."

And with that, he was off again, with his fighters following in a close line. Allie led Genevieve, who was still slightly dazed from the encounter off at a trot. It was time to return the Royal Army's favors.


	15. Chapter 15: The Battle of Ponyville

****[A/N: Finally, the battle begins! I want to take this time to thank all the readers that have shown their appreciation to me with a review, favorite, follow, or anything of that sort. Writing this continuity is a big commitment, and knowing that it is appreciated by someone out there gives me the encouragement that is needed to keep writing.

One thing that I have been noticing as I trawl through the various fan-maintained wikis doing research for the next few acts is that ancient history of the country of Equestria is actually quite vague in the central canon, giving me a lot of artistic freedom. Case in point, the historical time period in Star Swirl the Bearded lived was never specifically defined, so I will be putting him into the next Act of this progression. Another thing to look forward to, I guess.

Please do enjoy Chapter 15!]

**Chapter 15: The Battle of Ponyville**

As the flames in Ponyville climbed high into the sky, Princess Luna took a small break in the town square. The light from the fire had illuminated the night for miles around, and it would be burning for hours still. The square was filled with soldiers milling about. In the end, the Princess was pleased that the troops had been able to restrain themselves and avoid looting the abandoned town. Still, the fact that so many possessions, so many _lives_, were now being destroyed saddened her greatly. Casting her gaze to the eastern horizon, where the city of Canterlot slept peacefully, Luna longed to once again find refuge with her sister. Now that the battle was won, she was eager to get on to more productive business.

Her reverie was interrupted by a young page, who dutifully trotted up to her and saluted. The young colt's left shoulder was marked with three dark bands, the symbol for a Persei. In truth, Luna was mostly ambivalent towards her sister's preference for astronomic themes, but naming military ranks after constellations had struck her as at least a little bit overboard. Still, the system functioned well enough. After returning the salute, she allowed the young soldier to deliver his report.

"Princess," he stated in clipped tones, "the generals request your immediate counsel. It seems a small complication has arisen in the execution of our orders, and we need some clarification. If you are available, I can take you to them."

Luna looked about for a moment, hoping to send the message: _do I look unavailable to you?_ However, she dutifully got up and began following the messenger to the ad hoc command center, which had ironically been set up in the very café that the rebels had been using as a base. She wondered what sort of "complication" could have arisen. Heaven knew the orders were simple enough. It didn't require much interpretation to figure out that all Celestia wanted was for Ponyville to be wiped off the map. From there, the problem was simply a matter of the correct application of fire and magic.

Ducking inside the café, Luna found the general staff arrayed around a set of maps in the center of the cleared room. Each snapped to attention on her entering, but she immediately waved them off. All Luna wanted was to be done with this operation as soon as possible, even if protocol had to be forgotten to get there. As soon as she was settled, the general immediately to her left began to explain the situation.

"As you are aware, Princess, the army was explicitly ordered to destroy everything inside the boundaries of the town of Ponyville. Prior to departing, we were issued maps dating back to the original survey of the area, conducted during Discord's rule for taxation purposes. Everything within that area has now been set alight. The issue is that in the archives here we have located a second survey, conducted during the early years of the free kingdom." Pulling a second map onto the table, the pony indicated the revised town limits, which now stretched an additional few miles into the Everfree forest.

"If this second survey were to be followed, we would also need to destroy several acres of the forest beyond the town. The problem is then, which survey do we follow?"

"This mission was initiated based on the intel given," interjected a voice from the other side of the table. "We have acted on it, now we're finished. What more is there to discuss?"

"But the mission parameters have changed!" piped up a third voice. "As soldiers we are trained to react to situations as they develop. If our intelligence is shown to be flawed, we must act on it."

"And how would you propose burning down _only_ a few acres of such a dense wood?" questioned the first general. "One misplaced torch and the whole forest would go up! Besides, what strategic advantage could there be in destroying some trees?"

"Are we seriously having this discussion?" Luna exclaimed with a voice of command. "You cannot honestly be arguing about whether or not burn down some inconsequential trees." Pacing about the room, Luna knew that something had to be done to stop this comedy before any more time was wasted. "We're done here," she decided. "Get the army together, and we'll pull back out." As the soldiers confirmed her order and saw to it, the Princess continued to pace aimlessly. For the moment, her nerves stood on edge. Something was not quite right here. She could feel that something had changed since her first entering the room. Stopping to concentrate for a moment, Luna felt it: _a breeze from the open window. The wind was calm when I came in here._

As the Princess looked out into the town, a gust of wind blew her mane into her eyes, and also dislodged some parchment from the tables. Out in the town, Luna noticed that the flames were reacting to the wind, moving unpredictably, circling through the town. In a flash, she saw the danger. "The wind!" she cried. "We need to get out of the town before we are cut off!" Racing out the front of the building, the Princess was relieved to find that most of the troops were forming up for the march she had ordered. Quickly she dispatched a few runners to search for any remaining forces, and then began the withdrawal. For the moment, it seemed like everything would be okay.

Still, when the Princess looked up at the sky, she noticed thunderheads brewing to the south, although she could have sworn the night had been clear only several minutes ago. The odd weather patterns reminded her of the first intelligence she had received concerning the destruction of the Ponyville bridge. _A localized storm, persisting for several hours and only affecting the bridge's immediate area._ Such events spoke of something more than just freak weather patterns. Indeed, something else was clearly afoot.

It only required several minutes for her suspicions to be confirmed, when the brewing storm suddenly launched an array of lightning strikes, each impacting several yard's up the street from the formation's advance. In the illumination, Luna picked out a telltale shape flitting about the clouds, clearly the outline of a pony with wings. Pegasi; and Pegasi who had learned to control their ancestral magic by the looks of things. Suddenly, the simple retreat stood ready to become a full-scale battle again. She gave the order to engage the shields, and after only a few seconds a bolt of lightning scored a direct hit. The Princess was pleased to see that her unicorns were able to disperse the energy, but it was also clear that the task required considerable effort. They needed to get back into the open to have any chance.

As the storm swirled and continued to harass the army, Luna cast one final gaze back to Canterlot. _Celestia_, she thought,_ if you're watching, a little help would be nice right about now._

* * *

Princess Celestia was indeed watching the battle as it progressed, but only with a portion of her mind's eye. The rest of her attention was focused on building her cutie mark spell in time for the coup de grace to be issued.

High above the citadel of Everfree, the Princess levitated in an orb of encapsulating magic. With her eyes closed in concentration, her horn shone forth with a piercing light as she built the spell layer by layer. Light and dark magic flowed around her form in alternating bands of soft blue and deep purple. Occasionally arcs of magic jumped to the foliage beneath, infusing the local flora with the unnatural blend of magical forces. The hybrid magic warped genetic material, twisting cellular structures and mutating plants and animals alike; anything it touched was changed. Celestia did not notice the effects, even as a spiraling rune of dead grass began to fan out from the citadel. Her thoughts were entirely bent on the magical construct.

Despite the seeming unity of the dark and light magic as they flowed from her form, inside the spell there was great disharmony. The two separate magical elements scorned each other, and refused to be coaxed together in any conventional form. Celestia had already spent several precious hours attempting to bind them into some workable package, but to no avail. The two forces resisted each other in every environment. In frustration, she attempted to wind a strand of dark magic around the spell's light construct, only to have the system unwind itself as soon as she released her hold.

It seemed almost as if the dark magic was possessed of a mind of its own, and refused to be pushed into the merely subservient roles that Celestia had intended for it. She had originally envisioned that the constraints of the magic would be governed entirely by the light side, and the dark magic would only provide the necessary power to make it last. It seemed, however, that a more complex mixture would be required. She was hesitant to consider it, as dark magic had a small degree of inherent unpredictability: given too much freedom, it could act in ways completely unintended.

Pulling apart the strands of the construct, Celestia envisioned the various facets of its operation. In her mental vision, they appeared as connecting threads in a vast matrix of nodes, each defining the spell's interactions with its hosts and central hub. She had defined several constraints to make the spell more predictable; perhaps those could be the compromises that the dark magic required. Deciding to start small, she unwound the age constraint, which declared that any host was guaranteed to receive at least a best-guess cutie mark by the age of eight. Warily, the Princess allowed a small degree of dark magic to permeate the construct, ensuring the area was carefully sequestered to prevent it from spreading. The dark energy seemed to chuckle as it insinuated itself into the spell, but it appeared to be content with the space she had allotted for it.

Closing up the inner workings of the spell, Celestia again attempted to bind the powers together. Fortunately, now they seemed ready to work together, each recognizing an extent of themselves in the completed equations of the magical construct. The unity was not perfect, and the power remained somewhat unstable, but at this point Celestia was quite pleased to have it work at all. Shifting her heightened awareness to the battle occurring beneath her, the Princess knew that the time for her intervention was drawing nigh. Now it was time to finally seal the spell and send it on its way.

Concentrating deeply, the Princess wound twin threads of dark and light magic around the constructed spell, allowing each to bind to its proper inlets and outlets. She put everything that she had into it, which was not insignificant considering her interaction with the Elements of Harmony and Discord. Finally, drained, she floated lightly back down to the roof of the citadel, which crinkled softly under her weight. Admiring the final product of her work, Celestia finally let the spell run its course, and reveled in the refreshing breeze as it raced to all the corners of Equestria and began its work. Now, there was only one element remaining in the plan…

* * *

With some difficulty, the Royal Army had managed to vacate the cramped and congested streets of Ponyville. Thus far, no major losses had been sustained, but it was becoming very clear to Luna that the rebels' Pegasus allies could afford to play out this game as long as was necessary, while the magical reserves she commanded were not infinite. Unless something was done to tip the scales in her favor, the outlook remained bleak. Taking aside a collection of a few dozen of the more senior unicorns, she gave them a short instructional course in a powerful stunning spell that she had herself invented while studying in her youth. Proper execution required accurate and precise control of one's emotions, as putting too much personal fire into the casting could make the spell lethal to the target. The circumstances were far from optimal, but at the moment the Princess was running low on options.

As she closed out the briefing, Luna took note of expressions on the faces of the unicorn specialists. Most were quite clearly eager to fight back for once in the battle, and she felt her doubts concerning their untested zeal surfacing again. For the first time that night, Luna reached into her personal equipment and drew out her custom-tempered long sword. Checking its edge against her hoof, Luna deeply regretted that it might now come to this. She knew that she had done everything in her power tonight to prevent innocent blood from being spilled, but that did not make it any easier for her to accept the idea that it might become necessary.

High over the army, Gabe and Alicia circled each other, working to maintain the updrafts and atmospheric winds that fed the storm. The other six Pegasi were on the offensive, testing the army's defense with precision bursts of lightning.

Quietly, Gabe was impressed with Alicia's grasp of his art. The two of them worked in tandem, caressing the cyclonic vortex into a self-sustaining twist of moisture. They drew out the peaks of the clouds into impressively towering formations, and worked to ensure steady generation of static electricity for the others. Gabe was so lost in the sublime beauty of the moment that it required a strong reminder from Alicia for him to notice when the Royal Army began returning fire.

With a quick glance behind him, Gabe executed a swift back-flip to dodge the bolt of pulsating blue magic. Calling to mind a list of meteorological phenomena, he could think of several ways to frustrate their enemies' latest gambit. Turning to Alicia once again, he spoke a single word, "Fog."

Nodding her affirmation, the two of them cooperated to generate a deep surface fog that blanketed the ground and limited visibility to only a few meters. Needless to say, the unicorns on the ground continued to launch their attacks, but at least now they would be scattered and lacking direction.

Taking a moment's respite along with Alicia, Gabe alighted upon a low wisp of cloud. For the moment, they both ignored the light show on the ground, taking the time to appreciate the harmony of the winds around them, and the song that they both heard in their hearts. Looking at her now, Gabe was somewhat ashamed that he had ever considered leaving her behind in Cloudsdale. It was clear that this was her element, just like it was his. He thought again of their meeting in the library, how much she had reminded him of Genevieve. Turning to examine her face, he appreciated the light curls of her mane, the way the flashes of lightning captured the sparkle in her eyes.

Facing him, Alicia noticed his stare. "Something wrong?" she asked with a light smile.

Gabe felt the old embarrassment resurface, but with none of the awkwardness. "Nope, nothing's wrong at all," he replied. "I'm just thankful I could share this night with you is all."

"Certainly, Gabe," she remarked. "That's precisely what you should say when we are engaged in an all-or-nothing fight for the lives of our friends." Looking at the ground, though, she added, "But I'm thankful for it as well."

And so, even as the situation on the ground remained tense, and the night was lit up by twin flashes of magic and lightning, both Gabe and Alicia looked into each other's eyes and found peace in their counterpart's visages. For Gabe though, the peace was fleeting. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a fast-moving bolt of magical energy. With a shout, he tried to help Alicia dodge out of the way, but they were both too slow. The glowing blast of energy caught the female Pegasus in the front shoulder, dissipating over her chest in a wash of discharge.

Immediately, he felt her go limp in his arms, and he lay her down gently on the cloud. Cradling her face in his arms, he felt her pulse weakly in her neck. "Alicia?" he said immediately. "Say something to me, Alicia."

With effort, Alicia opened her eyes and looked into his. Speaking in a soft, slow voice, she began, "I'm still thankful, Gabe … For this and for everything."

Holding her tightly, Gabe refused to believe that this would be the end for them. He felt his heart catch in his throat and for a long moment could only watch as his friend drifted away from him. When Alicia finally spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. "Gabe?"

"Yes, Alicia?" he replied with a voice choked by emotion.

"You have to finish this without me, Gabe," she whispered. "I read that book of yours: 'Without loyalty, friendship cannot exist.' Your loyalty is to your friends now. Goodbye, Gabe."

And with those words, Alicia let her eyes fall closed. Even as the occasional burst of magic flew past his position, Gabe stayed there with her for a long moment, until he was sure the last breath of life had left her body. For a moment, he felt as if he should stay here with her for the rest of the night, weeping for the loss, but he knew immediately that his true duty now was to the fight at hand. Looking down at the Royal Army mired in fog on the ground, he felt a surge of anger rising within him, overshadowing the grief and despair until it became the only thing he could think of.

This night, Gabe vowed that the Princesses would pay for everything they had taken from his people, right up until the current day. There was a debt of blood to be paid, and he would not rest until it was collected in full. Concentrating on the melody of the storm around him, Gabe called to mind the full array of his powers. There was much that he had left to show his enemies for this affront.


	16. Chapter 16: The Darkness before The Dawn

****[A/N: Okay, so there are a couple of important notes to make here. First, when I made the plans for this story, I drew up my own maps of Equestria and some of its important cities. It was only recently that I found out there actually are official maps. However, since much of this continuity is built around the geography that I created myself, I'm going to stick with my own models and point out any significant detours from the official version.

Most notable in this chapter are several references to Luna looking _east_ to Canterlot from Ponyville. The official map places Canterlot in the center of Equestria with Ponyville slightly south of it. However, I considered it more symbolically appropriate to have Canterlot in the far east. (At least, so long as one assumes that the planet Equestria is on is mostly Earth-like, so the sun would rise in the east.) It just made more sense to me that the sun should always rise in Canterlot first.

The second noteworthy thing is of course the quotations that start off the chapter. From here on, every chapter will be headed by a pertinent quotation, usually stated by the character in question around the time that the story was written (remember that this history is being written in-universe by Twilight several years after the events of its conclusion). The characters that provide the quotations will be listed with full titles and appellations attached, so don't be surprised to see some formal titles around certain characters.

That was a lengthy note, anyway Chapter 16 is a pretty important one. Hope you enjoy it!]

**Chapter 16: The Darkness before the Dawn**

"In my experience, though they may act aggressively from time to time, all that any pony ever desires is peace, love, and mutual respect. Provision of these items is enough to quell any conflict."

_-Princess Celestia, personal journals_

"One only has to look at the world around us to see the truth. No matter how much one avoids it, conflict and destruction are always just a single step behind us, and no amount of effort will halt their advance. It is inherently fallacious to think of peace as any more than a passing thing."

_-Discord, personal journals (2__nd__ banishment)_

As thunder rolled, lightning danced, and magical sparks flew out on the field, the rebel forces waited expectantly just beyond the smoldering ruins of Ponyville. Although the Royal Army was being harassed from the sky, they still held an overwhelming numerical advantage, so Gabe had advised Genevieve not to attack until he "evened the odds". Unfortunately, he had failed to elaborate on his specific intentions in that regard.

And so now it was all a matter of waiting for the signal. Genevieve and Allie were standing side-by-side amongst the rest of the rebels, eyes eagerly waiting for whatever Gabe and his forces had in store. When the fog rolled in, there was some debate about whether or not to advance, which was voted down, as their own visibility would be hampered as much as their enemy's.

Genevieve felt the adrenaline of the past few moments start to drain out of her system as she waited in the cold. To pass the time, she studied what could be seen of the magical bolts racing upward into the heavens. Each one was an intense blue, with energy crackling along its length as it followed a linear course. Interestingly, the magical missiles made almost no sound as they travelled, though each cast was accompanied by a charged crackle as the magic was launched.

It wasn't long until Genevieve and Allie both spotted a different sort of spell being used, or perhaps it was merely a more powerful version of the same magic. Streaking toward the heavens, this particular bolt gleamed with a fiery whiteness, obviously carrying significantly more power than the others. Certainly, some reaction would be warranted soon. As the crackling bolt exited from view, there was a lull in the fight for a short moment. For an agonizing period, silence reigned on the field.

It was Allie that first noticed the change in the wind. Formerly a steady breeze, it had chilled considerably and was now a swirling, gusting gale. A solitary snowflake brushed past Allie's left shoulder, and she stood up. "I think we'd best prepare, Genevieve." she said. "Our advantage is on its way."

Immediately after she finished speaking, the sky over the field opened up with a torrential downpour of freezing rain. Super-cooled liquid rained down in sheets, instantly freezing into a covering of ice on contact with any surface. For most of the Royal soldiers, armed and armored as they were, the weather immediately became more than just an inconvenience. It didn't take long for the unicorns to recognize that the fight been taken to a new level and soon more powerful magic was being fired into the heavens. Luna could see immediately that the worst-case scenario was upon them. Pinned down without any visibility, the army could only sit and wait and she had a pretty good idea what was coming for them.

Galloping to the front of the formation, she squinted into the fog, attempting to make out any kind of figures. It was only due to her own exceptional eyesight that she was able to see the charge before it came. Drawing her sword, she yelled for the soldiers nearby to do the same. After all the posturing and strategy, it had come to this.

* * *

The Ponyville forces crashed into the front of the Royal Army with the force of a tidal wave. Though untrained and ill-equipped, they fought with all the fury that could be mustered, and were able to catch many of the soldiers at unawares. However, it did not take long for the training of the army to kick in, and soon fierce hand-to-hand fighting developed all across the field.

Luna had first experienced combat when she was only eighteen, over three hundred years ago. Immediately after she and Celestia had assumed the seat of power, they had been faced with an attempted coup from the ambitious Master of Fire, Seraph. While Celestia had dealt with the head of the treacherous snake, it had been up to Luna and the other three Masters to handle the body. Although she had proven herself a natural, she had never become comfortable with the feeling that came from emerging from such a battlefield, spattered with the blood of her enemies. Nevertheless, she did what was necessary to survive.

When the rebels' charge first emerged from the fog, the Princess had engaged the front line for several minutes before retreating to muster more strength from the back lines. Her soldiers were disorganized and confused, so right now they needed her leadership more than ever. Whenever she found troops that needed direction, she would dispatch half to the front, and half to protect the unicorns, which were still providing cover from the brunt of the sky's attacks. Fighting her way to a small knoll in the rough center of the field, Luna did her best to incapacitate her enemies when possible, but by the time she got there, her sword was still dripping with blood.

Pausing to catch her breath, Luna surveyed the field. She could see that the battle had devolved quickly into a harsh affair. The brunt of the charge had been absorbed by her army, and now the line of combat extended over the breadth of the field. The hills were already littered with the fallen, including several of the unicorn specialists and the odd fallen Pegasus. Hearing a noise behind her, Luna dodged out of the way of a sharpened pickaxe. Expertly avoiding the rebel's fervent swings, Luna maneuvered herself to within striking range and parried a horizontal blow. With a swift strike, the Princess rammed the hilt of her sword onto the forehead of her attacker. Unconsciousness was immediate, and Luna was again left standing alone.

She looked down for a moment at the young pony she had incapacitated. He was a strong specimen, with a flowing blond mane and powerful shoulders. Still, as he lay unconscious a serene expression rested on his face, despite the chaos going on around him. For a moment, Luna wished that she could join him in his peaceful slumber, but the time for her respite had passed, and as she gazed once more behind her, she caught sight of two most unexpected faces.

Engaged in battle nearby were the two ponies she had negotiated with upon first arriving in Ponyville. With their backs to each other, Allie and Genevieve were each engaged with a soldier. As Luna watched, the two expertly played off each other's strengths, watching out for their respective partner. In a flash, the two smoothly switched opponents, fighting with an unorthodox style (likely due to the lack of training) but an effective one nonetheless. After a few more seconds, both of their opponents lay wounded upon the field. It was in that moment that each one looked up and locked eyes with the Princess. Luna knew immediately that they would take on her next.

Luna dropped her sword into a ready position at her right side as they approached. Carefully observing the way that her opponents carried themselves, she noted the fiery determination that burned behind each of their eyes. But within Genevieve's complexion she saw something else. A strange mixture of misgivings, doubt, and even a small amount of disgust. Luna thought back to their meeting during the negotiations. Genevieve had been reluctant to go ahead with the battle, frustrated at the circumstances which had led to its eventuality. For an instant, Luna's heart went out to the young mare. At her age, she should have been focused on finishing up school, perhaps thinking about what to do with the rest of her life, or dreaming about her chosen sweetheart. Instead, she was experiencing the grit of a life and death struggle.

As the two combatants circled her, Allie felt the need to engage in the traditional repartee. "Representative Albright," she intoned with a slight smirk. "I never fancied you for the fighting type."

Electing to remain mysterious, Luna merely shrugged. "Appearances can be deceiving. I think you two had best move along. I don't want to have to hurt either of you."

Continuing to stare straight into Luna's eyes, Allie replied, "Much as we would appreciate not being hurt, I'm afraid we are unable to fulfill your request, Representative." Immediately afterwards, Allie struck out with a quick jab, which Luna parried.

Addressing Genevieve, Luna spoke firmly. "I sincerely regret that this is required, Genevieve. So many did not have to die over such a small thing."

At this, Luna noted the fierceness return in Genevieve's features. With a voice of steel, she declared, "My friends would not be so willing to die, were it such a small matter as you say. But for us, this is our last stand, our fight for all we hold dear. In the face of such infringements, what other option do we have?"

And with that, both Allie and Genevieve resumed the attack on Luna, falling upon her with a flurry of strikes. For the most part, the Princess' superior instincts and agility allowed her to defend, but it wasn't long the numerical advantage paid off, as Allie penetrated Luna's defenses and nicked her front-left shoulder, drawing a small amount of blood. In that instant, Luna knew that lethal action would be the only way out of this fight.

Parrying one of Allie's blows with force, Luna sidestepped a vertical swing of Genevieve's blade, maneuvering herself in close to the orange female. In a single thrust, it was done, as her blade snicked cleanly in between her opponent's left shoulder and the top of her ribcage, penetrating into her heart. Allie's breath caught in her throat, as her body fell to the ground. In that instant, Luna could see that Genevieve lost all interest in the fight, immediately going to her friend's side. Luna stood dispassionately aside, observing the scene. She could see the interplay of emotions on Genevieve's face: sadness, desperation, and finally desolate grief.

As she watched the last life leave Allie's body, Luna could only look out at the field, and consider the disastrous turns that this whole venture had taken. As the first rays of dawn began to grace the eastern horizon, she could see the fields littered with the bodies of the fallen, about equal parts of them soldiers and rebels. Knots of conflict remained on the gruesome scene, as the wind continued to howl and snow continued to fall. In all the years since she and Celestia had taken it upon themselves to lead their people to peace, she had never imagined that such destruction would be necessary to achieve it. If it were not for her steadfast faith in her sister's reasoning, this appalling scene would almost certainly be enough to make her question her devotion to the cause. As it stood, the battle had at least been drawn, so hopefully she could get back to Canterlot and discuss these events with Celestia soon.

However, there was still more drama to be had on Ponyville field. As the sun continued to shine its light onto the grass, its rays cut through the clouds of Gabe's storm. The artificial cloud and fog yielded to the light of the new day, which shimmered about the blood-stained field, illuminating the farthest reaches of the slaughter. All at once, those still living heard the voice of Princess Celestia in their mind, calling on them to cease the battle, and look to the east. Slowly, the belligerents gave up their conflict to look upon the eastern horizon, where the Princess herself could be seen, shining forth in the light of the new dawn. Similar to the spectacle at her summer ceremonies, Celestia's form radiated purest light, from the tips of her outstretched wings to the lowest reaches of her hooves. To all present, she seemed the very incarnation of the divine.

Stopping for now in her position at the center of the horizon, the Princess called out in a booming voice that reverberated across the field, and indeed across all of Equestria, as the sight could be seen from as far as Fillydelphia at the West Barrier Mountains, all the way to the Canterlot foothills and the great Eastern Desert.

"Dearest children," she began. "A great travesty has occurred this night. Upon the fields of fair Ponyville we have bore witness to a tragedy beyond reckoning, as the hooves of ponies have drawn the blood of their brothers and sisters. This night, as I lay sleeping, a vision came to me of the senseless slaughter, and I was distraught at the sight of so many innocents meeting their end upon the cold earth.

"I knew immediately that something had to be done, not only to stop the bloodshed here, but to prevent this tragedy from ever repeating itself. No pony should ever have to fear the hoof of their neighbor, nor fall back from the sharpened edge of a weapon raised in anger. I searched within myself for the means to show these errant children the way back to the path of peace, and I am here today to inform all my subjects of the solution I have found.

"First, to the belligerents in Ponyville, I am deeply regretful that my rule has been found lacking in your eyes. Effective immediately, consider all your demands met in full. There is no longer any need to take up arms or resist. Today should be a day of celebration, and remembrance of those that have fallen so tragically, fighting for what they believed in.

"In addition, to ensure that any such conflict shall be avoided for all time to come, I have found a gift for all my subjects. Those among you with sharp eyes will probably have already noted the image adorning my flank. This is merely a demonstration of the gift that every one of you will soon be blessed with. A unique marker, pointing each and every one of you to lives of happiness and social fulfillment. Every single one of my subjects deserves the right to a long and happy life, and now all of you will know what path to take, once you come of age to receive this gift.

"For now, we must be patient. The time will come when all of you will receive your own respective cutie marks, but it will take some time. Meanwhile, today shall be a day of celebration for the new peace. When future generations look back on this morning, they shall remember all those that perished in the great tragedy of this night, but they shall also remember the great victory that has been won for the cause of peace in our kingdom."

And with that final exclamation, Celestia's words echoed across the countryside. Beating her wings strongly, the Princess began making her way to Ponyville field. Quietly, she congratulated herself on the success. The entire plan had gone off flawlessly, from inception to final implementation. In a way, she was honestly sorry that many innocents had had to die for it to happen, but in the end they had been worthy sacrifices, and every one of them would be remembered as martyrs for the cause of mutual love. The citizens of Equestria had been offered a glimpse into the abyss on this night, and now she would be able to shepherd them safely back into the regularity of peace.

The only real regret that Celestia held was the necessity of deceiving Luna into fighting on her behalf. Although Luna was likely feeling rather disenfranchised at the moment, Celestia was sure that her sister would see the reasoning behind her decisions. In the end, this had truly been the only way, not only to resolve this particular issue, but prevent its recurrence for all of the future yet to come. In fact, it was quite necessary that Luna be remembered as a hero for her work this past night, and Celestia made a mental note to ensure that she received the public commendation she so heartily deserved.

Arriving on the field in Ponyville, which still smoldered in the light of day, Celestia was shocked at the carnage of the scene. The field was littered with the bodies of the fallen, strewn across the area in rough knots and piles. It was likely that the local flora would take decades to recover from the bloody inundation. Still, in time this area would become a hallowed shrine to those that had lost their lives here.

Alighting upon the ground, Celestia carefully picked her way through the mess, searching out her sister. Likely, the two of them would have much to discuss.

* * *

For her part, Luna was having a very difficult time organizing her thoughts after her sister's speech. Over the course of the declaration, her internal mindset had wavered between admiration, gratitude, and complete indignation. If she understood things properly, Celestia had not sent her here to _avoid_ bloodshed. Instead, it seemed that Celestia had purposely engineered it so that this battle would take place, and taken all steps necessary to ensure that it could not be avoided. But such a course of action went completely against what Celestia had told her in every single one of their strategy sessions.

It took Luna a moment to realize that the conclusion was inescapable. Her sister had _lied_ to her, insisting that her aim was to avoid conflict. If this was the case, Luna knew that the boundaries of her loyalty to her fellow Princess would be tested this day. She had vowed to stand by Celestia's side through whatever obstacles lay in their paths, but what could she do when Celestia herself stood poised to become the obstacle? If they had been prepared to yield the land right from the beginning, then all of … _this_ (she gazed around at the blood-stained hills of the field) had been completely meaningless. The citizens of Ponyville had fought, and died, for a cause that was entirely false.

In Luna's memory she could see the faces of Allie and Genevieve, the grief and desperation; the final moments of a true friendship. She had been able to justify such things to herself when she had been fighting for the greater good. Now that she knew the loss carried no greater significance, she couldn't bear to think of the implications. She had fought, _killed_, for Celestia, and now she was discovering that everything she had believed in was a lie.

In despair, Luna sank to the ground, allowing tears to roll down her cheeks for the senseless waste of life. Silently, she vowed that answers and retribution would be hers. As long as she lived, she owed it to herself to make this past night mean something. When they did reunite, Celestia would be facing some difficult questions, at the very least.


	17. Chapter 17: Star of Freedom

****[A/N: Act II is now winding down; I think there may be 2-3 chapters left counting this one, so expect some action coming up. The schism of the royal house takes full hold in this chapter, and soon enough the conflict between the the two Princesses will be coming to a head, although you may be somewhat surprised how it all ends.

The plan is definitely to have this Act done by the end of the year at least. I might accelerate uploads during Christmas as well, just cause I feel like it. However, final exams are starting for me in a few weeks, so things are going to get rough pretty soon.

Anyway, Chapter 17!]

**Chapter 17: Star of Freedom**

"It is often the case that the masses can be coerced into doing just about anything by a particular flourish of costume, intoned syllable, or properly timed appearance. I know this to be true, since I have done it myself."

_-Her Excellency Scootaloo, High Priestess of the Church of the Pink Square_

In the bright sunlight of a new morning, flags adorning the spires of Canterlot Castle fluttered in a gentle breeze. It had been several days since the Battle of Ponyville and the events which had immediately followed it, and slowly the kingdom was getting back to its daily routine. But one final day of celebration had been planned, in addition to several important announcements that Celestia wished to make to the populace.

Princess Luna had been present for the official renegotiation of the land agreement with the former residents of Ponyville. Grudgingly, she had sat through the proposals and counter-proposals, until eventually she had been forced to excuse herself. The amount of double-talk that had been thrown at her this past week was too much to bear. Today, she sat alone in her private chambers, staring despairingly out the window into the crisp morning.

All beneath her, the citizens of Canterlot made feverish preparations for the official event that would take place this afternoon. Public service ponies worked to set up a stage immediately in front of the castle's grand steps, looking out at the wide plaza where the crowd would gather. Meanwhile, newly hired Pegasus workers were affixing bunting and flags to every balcony and railing that would support them.

That was at least one decision that Luna could agree with. After meeting with a small delegation from Cloudsdale after the battle, Celestia had decided that after more than three hundred years of exile, the Pegasi would be welcomed back to the kingdom of Equestria. She had expressed particular interest in the abilities of Gabe Sotheby and his followers, as weather control could be just the solution that was needed to solve the kingdom's economic problems.

Still, though the outlook for the kingdom finally appeared bright, Luna knew that the way it had been brought about went against everything that she had ever believed in. Celestia had tried to explain her reasons, but all Luna had heard was rationalization and excuses. No matter the situation, any plan that involved the deliberate sacrifice of innocent civilian lives should have been rejected out of hand. When Luna looked at her elder sister now, she saw nothing of the child she had once knew, only a hard and unforgiving ruler. Still, Celestia was Princess, and if Luna tried to shift the balance of power, it would only destabilize the kingdom and place more lives in jeopardy. For the moment, she was forced to go along with things as they were.

About an hour later, there came a rap at her door. Luna made no attempt to answer it, and shortly afterwards it was opened to admit the elder Princess. With a face as perfect as always, Celestia carried a tray of steaming teacups into the room, laying it down gently on Luna's small coffee table. Taking a small sip of the tea, Celestia studied her sister for several minutes. "It looks good on you, you know," she remarked offhand.

"I hate it," was Luna's obstinate reply. In this case, Luna was merely being argumentative since she resented her sister's presence. Both of them were referring to the cutie mark that had recently begun to adorn Luna's flank, a darkened section of coat with a bright crescent moon at its center. The younger Princess actually did like the color and design, which made her hate the mark all the more. It seemed likely that Celestia had picked it out just for her, which caused her to wonder what other things her sister had been manipulating her into over the course of their time together.

When Luna remained silent, Celestia stood up and walked over to the window, admiring the plaza below. "You know you can't sulk up here forever, sister," she said calmly. "Especially not on a day like today. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what's gotten into you. Today is your day to shine, to be celebrated as the hero you are."

At this Luna could hold her tongue no more. "What I did in Ponyville was anything but heroic, sister, and you know it. We should be apologizing for the crimes we have committed, not giving out medals and throwing parties!"

Celestia relaxed her shoulders with an exasperated sigh. "Luna, haven't we been over this? What happened in Ponyville was a necessary sacrifice, a small price to pay for everlasting security and peace."

"How can you even say that?" was Luna's frustrated reply. "We founded this kingdom for the freedom and equality of all ponies, and now you expect me to believe that it was alright to have some of them killed just to further our own intentions? It wasn't necessary; it was a coward's way out!"

Celestia took a deep breath, as it was clearly requiring some effort for her to maintain a calm demeanor. "Don't you ever imply that I am not willing to do what is necessary to protect our subjects. I came into this with my eyes as wide open as you. If anything, I would say that this situation is clearly demonstrating _your_ lack of resolve."

"Lack of resolve?!" Luna had stood up by now, and stopped pacing to look Celestia straight in the eyes. "It is exactly my devotion to our cause that pains me so now. You forget that I'm the one that was in the thick of things. I'm the one who's always been taking care of the important business! If it weren't for me, this kingdom would have ceased functioning centuries ago!"

At this affront, Celestia gave a loud gasp. Stepping forward until she was only several feet in front of her sister, the elder Princess drew herself up to her full height. "How dare you?! Indeed, I suppose you think it's easy for me to manage this entire kingdom! Thousands of ponies all look to me for the model of perfection, the inspiration to live out their lives. Your job I could give to anyone: just sneak around and intimidate anyone that steps out of line!"

"Oh, as if sitting up here in your ivory tower and looking pretty all day is any more difficult! At least I get to be in touch with the ponies that I am ruling over. At least I get to value the importance and sanctity of a life. Your isolation has made you blind, Celestia!"

"And your association with commoners has made you weak! You are unable to see the momentous consequences that I must grapple with every day!"

"Weak, you say? How's this for weak?" Luna stepped forward with a raised hoof, before the resolve in her eyes faltered. Looking back and forth uneasily between the shocked face of her sister and her own prepared blow, Luna drew back. As she sat back down on her bed, she choked back a sob. "I… I was going to strike you, my sister."

Coming forward and sitting down next to her, Celestia placed one of her front legs around her sister's shoulders, staying silent for a long moment. For an instant, they were sisters again, together in their family's house in Eridian. Sharing in the same connection of love that had spawned the Elements of Harmony, brought down Discord, silenced even the mighty Emperor, and brought a kingdom back from the brink of despair. After a moment spent gathering her thoughts, Luna spoke again. "We can't go on like this, you know."

"I know," replied Celestia.

Both Princesses stared off into space for some time then. It was clear to Luna that a fundamental change had occurred in their relationship. Whereas previously she had relished her sister's company, now she could barely stand being in the same room as her fellow Princess. If they were to continue ruling this kingdom in any manner, it could not continue the same way it was now.

Turning round again, she could see that Celestia had come to the same conclusion. It was the elder Princess who first voiced an idea on how to accomplish it, however.

"My cutie mark augments my magic during the day, and yours does the same for you at night, correct?"

Luna nodded. Admittedly, it seemed as though at least one benefit came from submitting to the magical mark. Whenever she gazed upon the moon high in its orbit, Luna felt its song within the depths of her soul, elevating her consciousness to a higher level. Whenever she was out at night, the younger Princess felt like she could rule the world, and the same was probably true of Celestia during the day. It was an addictive feeling, and indeed Luna seldom went out during the day anymore.

"So, if we cannot work together, we'll have to split the responsibilities. You can manage the kingdom at night, and I'll take care of things during the day. You're up to the job, right?" Celestia glanced comfortingly at her sister with a smile.

Luna offered up an acquiescent grin of her own. "As long as it means we'll never have to work together again."

"Fine," Celestia replied flatly, the warm tone vanishing from her voice in an instant. "However, I still need you to be ready for today's ceremonies. This sort of behavior is most unseemly for a Princess in my kingdom."

"Right, whatever, I'll be ready for you." Luna returned to her bedside table to start getting ready. However, just as Celestia was about to leave, Luna realized that one thing was still not quite right. "Hold up, _your_ kingdom?"

With a small cough, Celestia turned back to face her sister. "Excuse me. _Our_ kingdom, of course." And with that, she was gone, closing the door gently behind her.

As Luna picked out her military fineries, she looked at her future with a grain of hope for the first time in weeks. With full control over the night, she could at least leverage some time to counteract her sister's more authoritarian overtures. She would probably never be able to forgive Celestia for the atrocity of Ponyville, but at least now there was a way to move forward. In all things, she had to put the betterment of the citizenry ahead of whatever personal vendettas she may have.

* * *

For the conclusion to the week of solemn remembrance vigils and festive victory banquets, the plaza in front of Canterlot Castle was packed with citizens. In addition to most of the population of Canterlot, there were also delegations from all the various provinces, including the new local government of the Ponyville district. In addition, there was a sizeable contingent of Pegasi from Cloudsdale, present for the official announcement of that city's reintegration to the kingdom.

The first order of business was a cascade of victory medals for the surviving combatants of the Battle of Ponyville, with both sides receiving many honors. However, there was one recipient that just about everyone was waiting for most of all.

Standing upon the stage in front of all those assembled, Celestia walked over to the display table, unlatching a large golden chest. Inside a padded interior rested a salubrious star-shaped medallion, encrusted with the finest Fillydelphian diamonds and affixed to a brilliant red sash. Speaking in a loud clear voice, she announced to the multitude, "The Equestrian Star of Freedom is the highest honor receivable by any soldier to the State of Equestria. It is awarded for feats of exemplary valor on the battlefield, to those that act in the highest orders of honor expected by this great country.

"It is my pleasure and privilege to be able to award this medal today to my beloved sister, whose actions on the field in Ponyville this past week served to protect the lives of countless soldiers and civilians alike. In the darkest hours of our state, she served as a shining beacon of hope and freedom to both sides of that most unfortunate conflict. Please join me in granting her the ovation she most certainly deserves, as her and I look to lead this kingdom into the glory of its bright future: Princess Luna!"

At the sight of Luna emerging onto the stage from her prepared spot, the square erupted in a thunderous exultation of joy. Dressed in the khaki formal dress of the Royal Army, Luna was also bedecked in various insignias of command, including the finely polished silver stars on her right shoulder that identified her as an Orioni. In keeping with rigid military protocol, Luna kept a straight face as she approached to receive the award. It wasn't exceptionally difficult, knowing as she did that most of her introductory speech had been straight-up lies. At least she didn't have to give any kind of acceptance address. Looking out at the sea of adoring faces and joyous subjects, Luna was quite sure that she would be unable to look at any of them squarely for some time to come.

Luckily, the ordeal was over quickly, and the Princess assumed her position in line with the rest of the honorees. There was only one item left on the agenda, although it had certainly not been saved for last due to insignificance. Reassuming her position at the podium, Celestia allowed the crowd to quiet at their own pace, which took a couple of minutes. Finally achieving order, the Princess spoke again in a clear voice.

"My subjects, there is but one item left to be dealt with, and it is an announcement that can be made with the joyous spirit that is befitting of this day of celebration. After nearly three hundred years of segregation, today our proud race stands united once again. The noble Pegasi, who stood beside us in our revolution against oppression so many years ago, have returned to our union, and we welcome them with glowing hearts and open arms.

"It is my pleasure then, to introduce a new dignitary to address the nation at this, our greatest hour of reunification. I give you Gabriel Sotheby, First Windcaster of Cloudsdale, and leader of the Pegasi!"

Celestia stepped aside to admit Gabe his chance at the podium. For him, this past week had passed by in a whirlwind. Both he and Genevieve had lost dear friends in the Battle of Ponyville, but together they had been able to find solace. Despite all the turmoil that had embraced either one of them for the past several weeks, both felt only calm serenity when allowed to gaze into each other's eyes and just talk. Gabe knew by now that what they shared was significantly more than casual friendship, and after some frank discussions with Genevieve, he had discovered that she knew it too. Looking out now at the crowd, he scanned the faces for that of his true love. It took a few minutes, but soon he saw Genevieve standing amongst the rest of the Ponyville delegation. She had on a brilliant white dress which complimented her eyes perfectly. In contrast, Gabe felt rather rumpled and disorganized. Still, he had a speech to give.

"Centuries ago," he began coolly. "My forefathers forsook the ground in search of the freedom that only the sky could offer. For three hundred years the Pegasi forged an existence of our own, shunning our connections to the rest of the pony race and creating our own path through the wrinkles of such uncertain times. Though the work of our leaders stands as a testament to our ingenuity, strength, and peaceful hearts, our break from the rest of the pony tribes stood as a mark forever against us.

"I come before you today to ask forgiveness for the sins of my ancestors. Though from time to time we may have different goals, different ideals, even different philosophies, it is never correct that we should forsake each other if we are unable to settle our differences. Together, this race is strong enough to weather any storm, clever enough to overcome any obstacle, and devoted enough to persevere against any hardship. As first Windcaster of the Great City of Cloudsdale, I pledge the efforts of all my brethren to build this nation into the finest institution that has ever existed on this fair Earth. Together, the future is ours to grow into. I thank you, Equestria, for your forgiveness and compassion, and I look forward with you all to the brightest years of our future."

To another roar from the audience, Gabe surrendered the floor to Celestia, who quickly went through the motions of ending off the address on a high note, announcing that the rest of today would be a final day of celebration and festivity, to unite the new kingdom in finality and ready the population for the work necessary to bring about Equestria's shining future. Even though it was only mid-afternoon, it didn't take long for a boisterous party atmosphere to develop in the city. The stage was soon commandeered by elements of the military's brass band, and the plaza converted into the largest dance floor the city had ever seen.

Under an awning on the west side of the square, weary celebrants relaxed in the shade, refreshing themselves with tall glasses of apple cider from the celebrated acreages in the Canterlot foothills. It was here that Gabe finally caught up to Genevieve, who was patiently waiting in a private booth. Standing to greet him, Genevieve embraced Gabe warmly for a long moment. Finally separating himself, he sat down across the table from her. Again, he was momentarily lost in her features. Certainly, he knew that his place in this world would be forever by her side.

Genevieve was aware of that fact as well, but she had always been the more clear-headed one, and could see the obvious flaw in the logic. Sure, the two of them would be happiest together, but Gabe was a Pegasus, and his duty was to the citizens of Cloudsdale, a place where Genevieve would be unable to follow him. Likewise, her duty was to the citizens of Ponyville that had chosen her as a natural leader. There was still much work to be done in that area of the country as well. Still, she knew that both of them would do whatever it took to make the relationship work.

There was no need for any conversation between them, as both were intimately aware of the other's thought processes. As the band began to strike up an energetic jitterbug, Gabe offered Genevieve a thoughtful wink. Finally, she broke the silence between them. "I thought you'd never ask." The two made an interesting pair on the street: a sky blue male Pegasus, with a cutie mark of snowflake, raindrop, and lightning rolled into one; paired with a light green earth pony mare, cutie mark of wheat heads. And no doubt for anyone that could see the looks in their eyes, that they were probably the happiest two ponies in Equestria.


	18. Chapter 18: Justice is Balance

****[A/N: I'm so excited! This story only has 3 chapters left, including this one. The final standoff is just over the horizon, but there are of course a few things that need to be taken care of first.

If any readers haven't had the opportunity yet, head to my profile page to vote on what the Appendix to this Act is going to be. There are two excerpts from Act IV available, and both of them reveal some enticing details about the directions that these characters are going to be taking. Either one would be quite fine with me. I wouldn't be especially surprise if both of the next chapters came out sooner than expected either, as I absolutely can't wait to write them.

Today's offering is Chapter 18. I hope you enjoy it.]

**Chapter 18: Justice is Balance**

"A just cause can be a marvelous motivational tool, but in the end, one must be certain that the means employed to obtain it satisfy the just nature of the end itself."

_-Augustus Van der Mill, CEO, Van der Mill Coal & Rail  
Memoirs, Nov. 4 2502 UIT_

2250 UIT (501 YRC locally)

Two hundred years after the Battle of Ponyville

As the sun sank below the western mountain ranges of Equestria, and its partner the moon took to the skies, so too did the guardians of the land exchange their duties. As she had for almost two hundred years previously, Princess Luna rose to the air over Canterlot, surveying the peaceful city as it prepared to end its daily travails.

It had taken Luna only several months to realize how deftly her sister had shortchanged her in their deal to split responsibilities for the kingdom between the two phases of the day. Indeed, it was quite a difficult task to influence the population when the vast majority of them were fast-asleep while she was in charge. Over two centuries, Luna had been forced to observe as the kingdom she had helped to build slipped further and further from her control. Celestia had wasted no time in expanding the military to deal with threats in her own ways, and her agents had infiltrated the population like a spider's web, reporting back all they saw and heard to the Princess' ever-watchful eyes and ears. Even so, the citizens didn't suspect a thing, cowed as they were with the eternal happiness granted to them by their cutie marks.

And so, now Luna found herself in a predicament. Centuries ago, she had made the vow to never betray her fellow Princess, even unto the worst that the world had to offer. However, she had also made her own personal pledge to strive forever for the upholding of the ideals upon which Equestria had been built, ideals which she knew were being violated and subverted by the day. As it stood, Luna wasn't sure which was more important, and so she had resolved that tonight that decision would be made.

Coming around to the south side of the castle, Luna looked down and saw what she had been waiting for. A solitary wagon was exiting the city, beginning its journey down the road to the Everfree district. The wagon was pulled by an elderly grey mare, hooded and cloaked. The wagon itself was covered with a thick tarp, and a dim lantern hung from an upshot post above it, illuminating only an infinitesimal area of the black night. From all appearances, it was merely an old soul moving on, or perhaps journeying to the country to start a life of retirement, but Luna wasn't fooled for a second. This particular disguise was Celestia's favorite, and she often made use of it to travel unseen among her subjects. Tonight, the wagon would be loaded with the mysterious cargo that the Princess commissioned from the local schools every year at this time. Luna intended to find out what it was, and where her sister went on this night, year after year.

Unsurprisingly, the wagon and its owner soon disappeared into a dark valley, and didn't emerge. But Luna knew where her sister had gone. The road to the ruins of Ponyville was far too long to be traversed in one night, so the Princess had teleported as soon as she was out of sight of the city. Flying low and quickly, while ensuring that she blended in with the night sky, Luna quickly made her way the province of Everfree, arriving in time to see Celestia and her cargo disappear into Everfree forest.

Perplexed, Luna hesitated outside the forest for a moment. In her childhood, this wood had been almost legendary for its serene beauty and tranquil peace. However, shortly after the Battle of Ponyville, after the settlers had cleared this area, rumors had begun to circulate about a pronounced strangeness within the forest. Whereas formerly it had been a place of wide clearings, straight paths, and moonlit nights, now the whole area exuded a certain unnatural aura that chilled the nerves of all those who looked upon it. One only had to examine the maps to see the effect this transformation had had on development: even the ruins of old Ponyville (which been built almost right up to the wood) had now been abandoned. Nevertheless, Luna still had questions that needed answering, so she pressed on under the darkness of the trees.

As she followed Celestia deeper and deeper into the forest, she felt that rumored chill begin to work its way down her spine as well. Normally, Luna lived for the shadows and the darkness, and she felt very exposed when standing in light. But there was something different about this place, some sort of unholy weirdness that defied explanation. Luna suddenly found herself wondering if some sort of connection might exist between the forest's transformation and her sister's activities. If so, all the more reason to find out precisely what she was up to.

Several minutes later, the lantern's light ceased bobbing ahead of her, and Luna crept forward cautiously. Finding a large clearing, she circled around, sticking to the shadows. In the middle of the clearing was a structure that Luna recognized from memories buried deep in her youth: the citadel of Everfree, ancestral home of the Order of Earth. Once, it had been a thriving, living structure of seven intertwined oak trees, but over the years since the Order's dissolution, it had clearly fallen into disrepair. The seven ancient pillars were now only gnarled dead husks of their former selves, barely supporting the patch-work floors of the fortress. Skeletal branches struggled upwards into the night, threading their way through collapsed archways and fallen limbs. Celestia's wagon was parked just outside of an opening into the castle's interior, and Luna could immediately see that the tarp had been removed, so whatever her cargo had been, she must have taken it inside with her.

Hoping to get a better view inside, Luna slowly and quietly flew up to a low branch on a nearby tree. The dried, cracked wood creaked under her weight, and looking around she realized that nearly all the trees surrounding the clearing were dead, as was any flora in the region. The area around the citadel, once a vibrant clearing, was now just caked dust. Something was indeed very, very wrong here.

Flying up to a higher branch, Luna finally caught sight of her sister, alone on the dilapidated roof of the structure. Beside her were stacked bundles of what appeared to be parchments, each one adorned with a rather colorful unique design. When Celestia undid one of the bundles, Luna spied the image adorning its top page: that of a scroll tied up with a blue ribbon. The image was startling in its simplicity, yet seemed to imply an aura of leadership. Unconsciously, Luna felt herself looking at the cutie mark on her own rear leg. _A connection, perhaps?_ As Celestia's voice drifted out into the night, Luna settled down to listen in.

* * *

Concentrating deeply, Celestia reached out in the night to grasp at the ends of the cutie mark spell that she had left here. Over the years, she had returned to this spot dutifully on the anniversary of her original casting of the spell, to maintain it, fix holes and upload new marks to the database. As the population of Equestria continued to grow, and the economy diversified, it had become necessary to populate the spell with thousands of new cutie marks to ensure that each one was unique to its targeted host. Of course, most were reused as ponies died and their memories passed on, but it still paid to introduce redundancy into the system. This latest batch was the product of a new experiment of Celestia's. She had commissioned a special art class at one of Canterlot's elementary schools with a simple task: draw a picture that best represents what your parents do for a living. Having gone through a couple of classes, the Princess felt that she had accumulated a wonderful batch of new additions to the library.

As the inner workings of the spell materialized around her, Celestia carefully examined each section for signs of deterioration. Magic was an interesting thing, and it could be unpredictable sometimes. It always paid to be vigilant about potential problems. In her work over the years, Celestia had discovered several glitches in the way the spell was designed: certain unforeseen circumstances that could cause undefined behavior. Such was to be expected, really. Traditional wisdom dictated that a construct of this complexity should have gone through several stages of iterative development to iron out any wrinkles before it was released into the wild. As it stood, Celestia had built the spell once, and under a tight deadline as well. Mistakes were bound to creep their way in. But now, fixing them would likely require several days of downtime, and the Princess couldn't afford to offline the spell for that long, never mind that she wouldn't be able to find time in her busy schedule to perform the maintenance.

Having cut open all the bundles of parchments, the Princess braced herself for the most draining part of the process. Due to an unfortunate oversight, the update procedure was magically intensive, and quickly drained the spell's reserves. Celestia would have to supplement them herself, as she had for two hundred years already. In the future, she hoped to eventually accumulate enough images to be able to forego this process. However, for the moment, this was the only way forward.

Drawing on her reserves of light and dark magic, Celestia let both of them loose into the air, forming a magical firestorm of color that engulfed her body and fed into the spell as the updating process began. It would take several hours until the process completed, so Celestia took some time to meditate while it continued.

* * *

When the first bolts of magic erupted from her sister's figure, Luna was transfixed for a moment. Shielding her eyes from the intense glare, she could see that Celestia was now encapsulated in a glowing sphere of red and white, which flowed around her in turbulent ripples of energy. Magic arced from the configuration in twin flashes of energy, connecting to invisible poles that drank it in greedily. Subsidiary magical streams began to sift through the piles of images, examining each in turn before discarding them.

Surveying the scene, Luna was now very certain that the display was connected to the cutie marks and their mechanism of delivery. Half of her wanted to jump out of her hiding place and confront Celestia right away, but her more powerful half resisted. Examining the colors that flowed around her sister's form, she noted something interesting. The white magic she recognized as Celestia's natural energy; it was the same magic that she had exhibited since the days of her youth. But the red was something different, something else entirely. Luna could not be entirely sure, but it certainly seemed as if the red energy was possessed of definite power, perhaps even more than Celestia's own. If she ever hoped to face her sister, she would have to do something to counteract it.

When Luna had considered the idea of confronting her sister, she had realized that it would be best to use Celestia's own tactics against her. While during the day, her older sister held a definite magical superiority, the exact opposite was true after dark, or at least that was what Luna had assumed. It seemed that Celestia was trickier than that after all, though. This new power would require careful research to refute. It was unfortunate, as Luna had never really been much for the library. But especially now that she had seen what her sister was truly capable of, there was no doubt in her mind that she would need to do whatever was necessary to restore balance to the kingdom.

* * *

When Celestia had last put Discord to sleep in the run-up to the Battle of Ponyville, he had pretty much consoled himself to several hundred more years of imprisonment. Luckily for him, the Elements of Harmony were not cruel gatekeepers, and though his body was cemented in place in the gardens of Canterlot, his spirit was free to wander the world, taking in what there was to see. What made the deal even sweeter was that since he wasn't _technically_ alive for all this time, he didn't age at all either. Of course, the dark magic in his system would extend his life indefinitely anyway, but it was still a rather nice perk.

And so, when he found himself drawn once again by the smell of smoldering feather, claw, grass, and horn to a secluded clearing just above the southern Canterlot foothills, he wasn't the least bit surprised, although he had to admit to himself that the circumstances were at least a little bit ridiculous. He couldn't help but point this out to the pony that had summoned him, which was of course Princess Luna.

"You know, Luna," he began, "it's strange. Five hundred years ago you and your sister made a big show of tossing me out of power. The old ways were declared dead, a new age had dawned for Equestria, and yet now here we are, working out our differences again. Surely you must admit this whole situation is a little ironic."

Luna was pacing by the edge of the clearing, lit up from beneath by the smoldering bowl in which she had placed the ingredients. With an impatient look on her face, she replied in a curt voice. "You know why I am here, Discord. Get on with the process."

Swirling around her in a gust of fog, Discord whispered into her ears. "What? No chit-chat? At least your sister had the common courtesy to indulge me in a few minutes of debate concerning morals and ethics. But here you are all business, with no time for fun. Remind me to teach you something about that later, hmm?"

Luna continued to pace, with only a stoic expression on her face. "I sincerely doubt I have anything to learn from one such as _you_, Discord. If you wouldn't mind, I have more important things to do than bandy words with the long-discredited former ruler of a former monarchy."

Discord flinched backwards as though the words had physically struck him. "Ouch! Talk about a tongue that bites, my Princess! Didn't Celestia ever teach you the rules of courtesy? Any more behavior like that and I might not give you the magic at all."

At this Luna stopped and studied his face for a moment. Since he was in reality just a wisp of smoke, it was difficult to tell if he was being sarcastic or not by the look on his face. Still, she was reasonably sure that there was a playful glimmer in his eyes. Semi-serious, she asked, "Seriously?"

With a cackle, Discord allowed his complexion to disperse throughout the room. Marshalling together again just in front of Luna, he was still laughing. Finally stopping to speak, he replied in a cheerful tone. "Of course not, you silly Princess! You and Celestia were and always will be my greatest enemies. Do you honestly think that I would hesitate, even for a second, to give you the power to destroy each other? What madness!"

Making a great show of it, Discord summoned a turbulent ball of deep purple energy, holding it just in front of Luna's face. The Princess didn't require any instruction. Without hesitation, she reached forward with her horn and accepted the dark power. Feeling its raw energy coursing through her system, Luna felt positively invigorated, confident and powerful for the first time in years. The feeling was not dissimilar from the experience her cutie mark gave her while she was under the moon, a fact which convinced her further of the dark magical nature of the marks. _Now,_ she thought, _you and I, Celestia, have a couple of things to talk about_.

For his part, Discord hadn't quite left yet. He had occupied himself in his own way during the acquisition process, and now swirled up to Luna a final time. "Welcome to the true world of darkness, Princess," he announced in a grandiose tone. "How does it feel?"

"Pretty good, to be honest," Luna replied before she could stop herself. She could feel, on some higher level, the connection that herself and Discord shared, but she wasn't about to be getting all chummy with him just yet.

Discord continued to persist around, until finally Luna asked him if there was anything else that he required. "Oh, me?" he asked nonchalantly. "Nothing special. I've always been a little intrigued about your name is all. How did you come across it?"

After a moment's thought, the Princess deemed the question worth answering. "That's a bit of a long story actually," she began. "I was born under the name Claire Albright during the time you ruled Equestria. When my sister and I came to power, it was her idea to base our rule on the items of the heavens, so as to appear eternal and otherworldly. As she was the natural leader, she took the initiative to change her name to Celestia, in honor of the sun. Since it would make sense for me to oppose her symbolically, I chose Luna for the moon. That's all there is to it."

"Hmm," Discord muttered as he continued to float in the chamber. "So what you're saying is that you were essentially forced into your decision by your sister, right?"

Luna was thrown for a moment by his words, and was slow in the recovery. "I… I suppose so, yes."

Once again coming in close to whisper into her ear, Discord spoke in an almost conspiratorial tone. "Well, since this new chapter in your life will be all about independence, wouldn't it make sense to choose a new name? Something more befitting of your new station?"

Luna considered the proposal. Truthfully enough, she had never actually thought about her opinion of the name she had been forced to choose. Granted, it did lack a little bit of zing, so to speak. It was a little less outstanding than Celestia's, perhaps a bit understated. That had been fine for when she worked in the shadows, but times called for something a bit more independent indeed.

Luna thought for a moment about her plans for the country. She would employ a strategy that her sister would recognize immediately: Tragedy and Triumph. It had almost become Celestia's signature gambit over the course of her five hundred year rule. First, show the ponies the depths of that which they feared most. Strip off their preconceptions and confidences, and expose them to the true horror of this world. Then, when things appeared most bleak, let the bright light of hope shine over the horizon. Painting herself as the beacon of salvation, she would lead them back into the safety of her rule, and use their thankfulness to exert her control over them.

In this case, Luna would become the darkness of nightfall, the unknown that ponies slunk back from in fear, the untold nightmarish strangeness of a darkened wood, a blackened cavern, or an unlit hallway. Looking up for a moment at the full moon high in the night sky, she announced in a loud voice, "On this night is born Nightmare Moon, scourge of the light, and enemy of the day. They shall fear my power, but in the cleansing darkness, I will show them the path to true freedom."

In the commotion, Luna did not see Discord's face dissolve into tufts of cloud that slowly drifted towards the horizon. If anyone had been paying attention, they might have heard the faintest of chuckles from him as his spirit disintegrated.


	19. Chapter 19: Dark of the Moon

[A/N: Okay, this is it people. When I realized how close we were to the end of this story, I honestly couldn't help myself. I just had to finish the writing. So Chapter 19 is today, and Chapter 20 will be in the regular Thursday upload, after which I will probably take a break for Christmas, but expect Act III to get started shortly come the new year.

Most of you are probably aware of how this Act is going to end. But what might surprise you is precisely _how_ it ends up happening. The more astute students of the canon might also be able to pick out the beginnings of the dovetail with Season 1 that are developed here.

Anyway, it has been my honor to share this story with you all. And, come Thursday I will also posting the Act IV sneak peek, so if you haven't already, head over to my profile page to vote on which excerpt you would prefer. In the meantime, Chapter 19 is a long one, but a good one!]

**Chapter 19: Dark of the Moon**

"After five hundred years, the schism of the Royal House of Equestria which had festered for some time was finally complete. The only issues that remained to be settled were which way the kingdom was eventually going to fall, if it survived at all."

_-"Histories of the Provinces of Argyla, Vol. 3: Equestria"  
__Filed in the Imperial Archives_

The last light of the moon twinkled dimly over the high parapets of Canterlot Castle. Just like every morning for the past couple centuries; Princess Celestia faced the eastern horizon, waiting for the rays of dawn to grace Equestria once more. She had made it a tradition to be up here every day for it, as nothing ever warmed her heart more than the sight of the golden light of sunrise arching over the horizon from the depths of the eastern deserts. Somewhere, far out over the great divide, lay an even greater world, although the Princess knew that it would never be seen by pony eyes.

The existence of the world beyond the geographical boundaries of Equestria had been revealed to the two Princesses shortly after they had assumed the throne, as they had been confronted by a powerful being that referred to himself as The Emperor. He had claimed to rule over a vast empire, of which Equestria was "but a speck". She and Luna had defeated him, but he had vowed to return with all the force he could muster if Celestia's rule were ever to fail. That had been a little more than five hundred years ago. In the ensuing time, Celestia had never forgotten the threat that always hung over her country. It was for this reason that she knew no threat to her security could be allowed to stand.

Looking over the ledge down to the lower reaches of the city, Celestia could see that several citizens had gathered in some of the city plazas. Apparently, rumors had begun to spread through the population that the Princess was somehow responsible for the dawn and the light of the sun. Although she had been initially confused by such observations, Celestia had realized the advantage immediately, and continued to let the mystery swirl. In the end, if her subjects revered her as a deity in addition to a ruler, it would only benefit the core of her power base.

A cool breeze brushed aside her flowing mane then, bringing her back to the present. As yet, the sun had made no sign of emerging, which was in itself slightly odd. Turning round to look back into her central tower, she caught sight of the Royal Hourglass, in the process of turning over. The hourglass was an enchanted timepiece Celestia had created several decades ago to measure the lengths of night and day throughout the year. Knowing precisely when sunrise and sunset would occur allowed the Princess to accurately set the clocks in Canterlot in time with the sun, and created a system of universal time for the whole kingdom. But today, the hourglass had already switched to its daytime cycle, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Something was indeed wrong.

Casting her eyes about the sky for a moment, Celestia searched for her sister, who would usually be flitting about Canterlot waiting for her shift to end at this time. But instead, she found only an empty sky. All of a sudden, she became aware of how utterly silent the night had become, as even the breeze from a moment ago had ceased its restless wanderings. And still there was no sign of light.

It took Celestia a moment to see it, but she sensed something strange about the continued blackness of the sky. Looking closer, she knew that she was right. The sky had assumed an inky coloration, and even the stars of the night could no longer be seen. This darkness was most certainly _not_ natural, and that meant a threat had surfaced. Someone was making their presence known.

It was then that the sky to the south was illuminated, or rather, _un_-illuminated to a certain extent. The effect looked similar to the magical aura Celestia conjured for her summer ceremonies, but instead of piercing light, the form materializing over the province of Everfree was a sort of shapeless void, an entity darker than even the blackest night. Out of the consuming nothingness was seen to emerge a pony-like form, albeit one of darker color than had been known to exist before. Celestia gazed at the being for a moment before the realization hit her. Looking closer, she could see shades of Luna in the newcomer, but there was definitely something else in there as well. Something unknowable and alien.

When she had been fully made manifest in her final form, the pony that had once been Princess Luna stepped forward over the land. Speaking in a commanding tone that stretched across the entire country, she made the following pronouncements. "Equestria! The nameless fear that now penetrates yours is a myth become reality! I am Nightmare Moon, terror of the darkness, and I come to bring the shadow of my reign over all Equestria. For two hundred years I have bided my time in preparation for this conquest. None of you can stand against me! Prepare then, for the end. The eternal night is upon you."

With a deep laugh, Nightmare Moon then created a deeply enveloping void, a sort of blackness darker even than the nothingness of deepest midnight, and cast it over the land. Even the glimmer of the spires of Canterlot Castle was seen to grow dim, and Celestia felt a slice of fear shoot through her heart. It was Luna, yes, but with much more power than she had ever exhibited before. It would indeed not be easy to subdue this new form of hers.

As the country was ensconced in its new shroud, Moon drank in the panic that was quickly spreading through the populace. There was a primal energy at work here, and Moon could see the fear as it radiated out from her position, in a sort of secondary vision. Now, it was time deliver the ultimatum. Flying up from her position, it took about a minute for Moon to reach Canterlot. Spying Celestia standing proud on a high balcony, she approached directly from the front. She could see the recognition on her sister's face, but also the confusion.

As Nightmare Moon approached, Celestia was engaged in deep thought. Obviously, her sister had happened upon some form of new power, but there was only one thing that could allow her to instill such terror in other's hearts, and if that was the case, Luna had taken a great risk. Celestia knew her sister generally wasn't rash in her decision-making, so she had probably been planning this betrayal for a long time, perhaps even for the two centuries that she claimed. Whichever was the case, Celestia knew that her subjects would look to her for hope. It was now her duty to end this, however it would happen.

Addressing Nightmare Moon, who was hovering several dozen feet in front of the balcony, Celestia mustered as much confidence as she could find. "By the power in me, I shall not allow you to harm this kingdom," she bluntly stated, mainly for the benefit of any others who might overhear. If news of Luna's turn got out, the damage to the monarchy could be permanent.

With a devilish snicker, Moon tossed her oddly sparkled mane back. "Come now, dear sister, there's no need to pretend you don't recognize me. Any pony that thinks hard enough should see that this is only a natural transition for me. I'm finished with trying to outshine you; this is the moment that you would never give me!"

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "What do you want then, sister?"

"What do I want? I want what you would never give Luna, the respect and latitude to rule this kingdom the way it was meant to be done. For five hundred years you have shaped Equestria in your own image, Celestia. Now, it is my turn to give it back to those whom you have spurned."

Celestia did her best to sound reasonable. It was possible that she could still talk her sister out of this. "You know not what you have done, Luna. Everything I have built, I have built only for the good of this country. Never have I turned from our subjects, and neither will I now."

At that, Nightmare Moon gave an exasperated sigh. Turning her back to Celestia she flew off several feet then faced her fellow Princess once more. "Many times I have heard those words from you, sister. And yet still you find the time to manipulate this kingdom to your own ends. I have seen your desires, as you deal out happiness and ignorance to any that would oppose you. The suppressed may not be able to speak for themselves, so I am here to be the voice of all whom you have wronged over the years. Only contrition can make these wrongs right. You'll know where to find me."

And with that, Nightmare Moon disappeared in a cloud of deep purplish smoke, leaving Celestia alone on the parapet. She could hear shouts from below as chaos and panic spread throughout the city. Celestia was beside herself with shock over how things had transpired this morning, but she knew now that the decision to end this was hers and hers alone. Disappearing back into the castle, Celestia climbed quickly to her private chambers.

Somehow, Luna had discovered the secrets that Celestia had been keeping. Her sister had always been so idealistic, unable to see the greater consequences and reactions behind the veneer of ruling this kingdom. It seemed that Luna had taken it upon herself to fix the problems she saw as having developed. Now Celestia had her own decision to make. To save her kingdom, it seemed she would have to destroy her sister, or else give up the progress that had been made thus far.

Finally reaching her bedroom, Celestia opened the drawer of her bedside table. Nestled inside was her half of the Elements' Ring, three of the constituent gems which made up the Elements of Harmony. Luna had the other half, and the elder Princess had no doubt of her sister's intentions. The Elements alone possessed the magic necessary to undo the cutie mark spell, and reset the kingdom to the way it had been before. But they could only be used by both Princesses together.

As she reached out and grasped the necklace on which the Ring had been set, Celestia immediately felt the dark magic within her reacting to the strong presence of the Elements. Biting her tongue against the unpleasant sensation of the necklace against her skin, she attached it around her neck. It had been many years since the Elements had left this protected area, and it seemed that the dark magic had insinuated itself more fully into her form since then. It was undoubted that the reaction could only get worse with time.

Looking for a moment out her window, Celestia saw Equestria shrouded in an impenetrable darkness. The night was striated with swirls of cloud, but Celestia could immediately see the veil's source, as the air above the distant Everfree forest was marked with a spiraling rune of dark magic in her second vision. Indeed, she knew precisely where to find her sister.

* * *

In any other circumstance, Nightmare Moon would have been impressed with Celestia's ingenuity. Now that she shared the connection of the dark magic, she could see the intricacies hidden within the cutie mark spell inside its nexus. The delicate threads of its construct wound around each other to create a sort of symphonic harmony. Even so, the spell stood as the object of her discontent. It remained the greatest symbol of Celestia's unbreakable hold on the population, and the one thing that absolutely had to be undone if peace were ever to return.

She knew that her sister wouldn't be long in coming. Though her pride may have blinded her to her sister's malcontent, Celestia could make the proper decisions when the time came. Looking out at the shadows of the forest around her, Moon wept internally for the ruin of Everfree. She could see the hand that the dark magic had played in the destruction of this forest, and she hated it for that. Though it was now a part of her, and its power was tempting, she knew she could never allow it to dominate her personality. That had been Celestia's mistake, and it had brought the kingdom to the edge of its ruin. Only together now could the two of them make things right again.

Exactly as Nightmare Moon had known she would, Celestia materialized behind her on the roof of the ancient ruins of Everfree citadel. Predictably enough, however, it seemed she was not ready to deal just yet.

"Nightmare Moon," Celestia announced sharply. "You picked the wrong Princess to mess with." With a yell of exertion, Celestia summoned a bolt of energy, red and fiery, and directed it towards Moon, who had only a few seconds to react. Regardless, Nightmare Moon shrugged off the assault with barely of twitch of her horn, as well as several other subsidiary spells Celestia attempted. Cackling, she reached out with her own magic and grasped Celestia's form, lifting her up over the citadel and watching as her sister struggled in vain to escape.

"A fine attempt, sister," she called out in a mocking tone. "But this battle has been decided long ago and ironically enough it was you that guaranteed my victory. Under the cloak of night, this cutie mark heightens my powers, and yours are deadened without the light of the day. Your only choice now is to face this end and join with me."

Setting Celestia down once again on the roof, Moon allowed the guise of her dark magical form to slip away, becoming Princess Luna again. Sweeping a hoof over the horizon, she spoke to Celestia in a gentle, imploring tone. "Sister, can you not see the harm that your actions have brought to this once fair land? From the greens of our forests to the white of the highest mountains, the freedoms of the ponies have been sullied. Will you not give up your petty pride and see the truth?"

Summoning a shred of strength, Celestia met her gaze with a stare of defiance. "Equestria is stronger today than it has ever been. Thanks to my rule, we are better able to face the dangers of the greater world."

Disappointed, Luna turned around to look out at Equestria, which was still mired in gloom. "Strength can be deceitful, sister. Look at how easily I was able to subvert your power. We have given up the desires of our hearts to partake in the artificial conquest of this world. But the damage is not permanent. Look within yourself, and you will find the strength to make this right."

Celestia was indeed looking within herself for strength at the moment, digesting her sister's words and trying to figure out the way that this was going to end. Was Luna indeed correct? The cutie mark spell was an infringement of choice, but her rational mind screamed to her that it was necessary. Her heart, though, knew (no, had always known) that things had changed for the worse since this kingdom had begun. Celestia felt hopelessly lost, buried beneath conflicting desires and emotions.

Seeing the tempest of emotions swirling across her sister's features, Luna knew that she had almost gotten through to the Princess. Stepping forward and caressing Celestia just underneath her chin, Luna gazed directly into her eyes. With a gentle and loving voice, she made the final push. "All is not lost, dear sister. Together, all of this can be undone, and we can start again from the beginning. Come, do you remember the simpler days that we shared in our youth? Can you recall the time we spent honing our craft, the grand dreams we shared for the future peace and prosperity of this great kingdom? Forget the magnitude and complexities of your task for once. You don't have to go it alone. Let us be sisters once again."

All at once, Luna could see the change come over her sister. After closing her eyes a final time, the strength left her, and Luna helped her to the ground. Choking back a sob, Celestia let the tears run freely down her face. With a wavering voice, she addressed Luna slowly. "Forgive me, sister. Not only have I failed you, but I have failed Equestria. Things got out of my control, but I was unable to admit that I needed your help. Now, everything is ruined."

With a hoof gently stroking her sister's mane, Luna reassured the elder Princess. "Our kingdom is resilient, and it is not lost yet. With our power, the damage may yet be reversed. Are you ready?"

Nodding, Celestia got back to her feet once again. Together, the two sisters removed their necklaces, and joined the semicircles together to complete the Elements of Harmony once more. As each of the gems began to pulsate in turn, Luna felt the rush of magic within her once again. It had been too long since the sisters had been this close last. Finally, things were getting back to normal once again. She could see that Celestia too had had her spirit resurrected from the magical power. Addressing her for the last time, Luna called out in a friendly voice, "Now, my sister, our power is complete once again. Reach out and remove the darkness from this land, so that ponies may once again live without fear or repression."

For a moment, Celestia closed her eyes, reaching inside for some inner strength it seemed. Without raising her eyelids, she spoke softly, "I really am truly sorry, sister."

"I know, Celestia, and we will have plenty of time to discuss it afterwards."

Now Celestia opened her eyes again, and looked over at Luna with untold sadness clear in her face. "No, sister," she proclaimed. "I'm sorry for this." And with that, Celestia drew deeply of the power of the Elements, directing the power to ensnare Luna in a field of magic. With a look of pure determination, she raised Luna high over the citadel, adding more and more magic to the prison with every breath.

Try as she might, Luna realized that she was helpless against the power of the Elements. Marshalling her thoughts, she called down to her sister, "Celestia! You said we would fix this, make things right again!"

Celestia's reply came in a grim monotone, edged with an obvious effort at avoiding tears. "I'm afraid I lied to you, sister. It's what those of us that are willing to do whatever it takes to protect this kingdom do sometimes. I could not allow you to destroy everything that I have worked to create. I should have known from the start that you lacked the resolve to see our task through to its end. From here, I suppose I shall have to continue alone. Goodbye, Princess Luna."

Beating her hoofs against the magical rings binding her, Luna shouted in distress at Celestia. "No! You won't! You can't!"

But it was already done. With a final twist of her horn, Celestia sealed the spell, and Luna disappeared entirely. Her sister's form would be bound to the moon, sealed from this world in a way similar to Discord's imprisonment. In the end, the decision had been inescapable for the elder Princess (the only Princess, now). In undermining Celestia's rule, Luna had sealed her own fate. The only way for the kingdom was forward. As the spell wound down, the Elements ceased their fervent spinning beside her.

However, they did not return to their normally dormant state. Detecting that the connection of love which had spawned them was now broken, the Elements' Ring fractured with a loud _crack_ling noise, and five of the gems fell from their enclosures, scattering across the floor as the golden disc disintegrated into infinitesimal shards. Only the green gem remained, glowing with inner fire and hovering in space in front of Celestia.

Reaching out to grasp it, Celestia immediately felt a strong reaction from her inner dark magic as soon as her hoof touched the pulsating jewel. Her vision was occupied by a flash of whiteness, and she instantly felt a painful burning sensation in her hoof as the Element rejected her touch. Relinquishing the Element, the Princess could see immediately that the hoof which had come into contact with the green gem was now badly scorched. It seemed that her time of handling the Elements had passed. After a few more seconds, the final Element simply faded away, eventually growing more transparent until it had vanished completely.

Whether she liked it or not, the Princess knew that the country was now hers and hers alone to manage. Since she could no longer fall back on the power of the Elements, she would need to be more careful than ever about protecting her power base. Gazing out at Equestria, she could see the clouds of darkness dispersing over the countryside. The citizens, formerly stricken with fear, looked up now to the comforting sunlight, and celebrated with each other in exultant joy. In the end, her progress had been saved. There would need to be some doctoring of the historical record to ensure Luna's memory was properly vilified, but that could all be taken care of in due time.

What was important now was that the kingdom was safe. Looking upward, Celestia picked out the lingering moon on the horizon, now graced with a mare-like image in its center. In her heart, she was honestly sorry for the way things had worked out. If she and Luna ever met again, she would be sure to try to fix their relationship. But for the moment, Equestria was the chief concern. Taking to the skies, the Princess began a long flight back to Canterlot.


	20. Epilogue: An Interlude

****[A/N: Here it is, the last true chapter of Act II. This story has been a journey, let me tell you that, but I am most grateful for all the fans that have stuck with me over time. This universe surely isn't going anywhere any time soon, as Act III will be starting shortly after the holidays. And Acts IV and V will be happening before you know it.

When I first starting writing way back in August, it seemed like it was going to take forever before I finished. Hitting a major milestone like this is just a wonderful feeling.

This epilogue is something of a radical genre shift; I hope it doesn't catch any of you _too_ off-guard. And don't worry about all the mystery, answers are coming! (Granted, not for a while, but this is a long story after all.)

One final note! As promised, in an appendix to this story will be an excerpt from Act IV. As was requested, I shall give you "The Return of Harmony".]

**Epilogue: An Interlude**

"Governments change; the world stays the same."

_-Szi Anton, 2__nd__ Imperial Archivist_

Unbeknownst to the Princess, the events which had transpired that moment on the roof of the Everfree citadel had not been entirely private. In fact, Celestia's actions that day served to protect her kingdom in more ways than she could ever know. Hundreds of miles above Equestria, images of the momentous events had been recorded by Imperial spy satellite E-12B, and immediately shunted off to the center of the Empire's intelligence network, an underground bunker in the suburbs of Argyla City, some 1500 miles southwest of Canterlot.

A shining jewel of steel and glass towers on the crook of a deep inlet, Argyla City had been constructed as an administrative and economic capital for the northwestern continent of the Empire some thousands of years ago. Over time, the opulence and splendor of the city had grown incrementally, although there had always been an emphasis on function over form in the architecture. The right to art was one that citizens of Argyla had never had. That was reserved for the Imperial throne-city of Concordia, constructed on an artificial island in the center of the great ocean which divided the Empire.

The rest of the Empire was divided into three more continents, each occupying a quadrant of the planet. In the southwest was Exebia, a lush and verdant jungle paradise. Its capital housed Concordia Capital University, the forerunner in botanical and ecological studies in the Imperium, as well as a number of pharmaceutical industries operating out of the vibrant wilderness. To the northeast was Lutos, the industrial center of the Empire. Having been converted nearly entirely to heavy-resource extraction and manufacturing, the sky over Lutos City was nearly perpetually clouded in haze and smoke. Still, it was the economic engine that drove the Empire forward. And finally, tucked away in the southeast was Fuso, an island with an odd history. For much of the Empire's early years, Fuso had served simply as a massive landfill, but lately, attitudes had changed, and slowly the island was being terra-formed into an exclusive getaway for the Imperial _cognoscenti_.

This morning, the images from E-12B were immediately flagged urgent and fast-tracked through the computer systems that managed the various planetary intelligence feeds. Since news of the unrest in the renegade province of Equestria had reached the Empire, Imperial forces had been moved to Assault Condition 3, and even now squadrons across Argyla City awaited the imminent order to move on Equestria. If the reign of the Princess had fallen, the country would have been in Imperial hands by nightfall.

The new information, however, necessitated the drawdown of the alert, which was why it was crucial that the data be delivered to the proper hands immediately. And so, after being sent through a cursory analysis, the images were put on the wire, and sent through the network of fiber optic and encrypted wireless signal relays to the heart of Concordia.

* * *

That morning, the sun's light blazed into a chromatic fire as it rippled through the architecture of the Crimson Plaza in front of the Imperial Palace. Prismatic towers of glass were strategically positioned throughout the square to disperse the sun's visible spectrum and reflect it off other surfaces to light the façade of the structure with a brilliant rainbow of color. The rest of the square, paved with aluminum-coated stone and polished to a fine sheen every week, also reflected a fair deal of illumination to the structure, literally making the building the "light" of the Empire.

And in an upper room, with a view over all of Concordia, resided the ruler of the whole of the planet, the being known only as The Emperor. Standing tall in front of a mirror in his private bathroom, he admired the features of his figure. Indeed, he was a perfect specimen, the product of decades of genetic experimentation. Beneath close-set green eyes rested a sculpted, recessed nose and a generous mouth, glistening with pristine, sharp teeth. Black hair stretched in loops and curls down to his shoulders, which were toned and square. A muscular chest and lanky arms were covered currently with a blue silk shirt, stretching down to a waist adorned with a well-worn leather belt. Beneath, a large, scaled tail swept down to the ground, the product of a generous mix of dragon DNA. It was to this engineering that The Emperor owed his incredible longevity; having already lived for more than a thousand years, he still had plenty of time left to work with.

In that time, he had been able to watch this Empire mature, from a superstitious collective of tribes and peoples into a modern machine of science and commerce. These ancient eyes had born witness to technological miracles, from the emergence of industry through the computer revolution and into the present day space craze. Walking over to his high balcony, The Emperor could just make out the expanse of the launch site used by the Imperial Space Program, at the edge of the distant Concordia Air Force Base. Indeed, having brought this planet to bear, it was time to look outward.

Well, _most_ of the planet had been taken, at least. There was still one insignificant little province, the independence of which never ceased to grate on The Emperor's mind. Smack in the middle of Argyla rested the lands known as Equestria, the only place on the planet that he didn't directly rule. Not that he hadn't been trying. Today's newest setback was just one of a long string of unfortunate defeats and missed opportunities.

The history of Equestria was interwoven in its key moments with Imperial influence. Centuries ago, when he had still been young, The Empire had been expanding in Argyla, and he had been looking for an easy conquest so that other affairs could be attended to. By a chance meeting, the young Emperor had run into the spirit known as Discord, who had quickly promised to be Equestria's governor, and turn it into a properly functioning province.

Inexperienced and naïve, The Emperor had accepted Discord's deal and installed him as local monarch. It had taken him some time to realize that the wily would-be king had never intended to follow through on the agreement, and instead had kept Equestria in the dark ages for the length of his rule. Furious, he had attempted to regain control of the province several times since then, but each time had been repulsed, and (most galling of all) repulsed for the same reason.

_Magic_.

Coming over to his desk and taking a seat, the Emperor gazed at the map of the Empire adorning his ornate wall. Seeing Equestria, ripe for the picking but just out of reach, he slammed a fist into the polished hardwood in frustration.

What was magic in comparison to power such as he commanded? What power could the beings of Equestria possibly possess that could outshine the might of a planetary Empire? He had fleets numbering in the thousands, millions of fighting soldiers, and the artillery to turn Equestria into a smoking crater. But those _damnable_ Princesses could still stand even with him, and all thanks to their ridiculous _"magic"_.

The Emperor didn't know much about the nature of the unicorns or the power they commanded. Problems like those were for his researchers to figure out and preferably sooner rather than later. Some time ago, they had been blessed with a fortuitous coincidence, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to unravel the secrets of magic, secrets that he was sure even the unicorns themselves barely understood. However, the problem had proven difficult, and even now, nearly five hundred years later, Imperial scientists were still just scratching the surface of magic's underlying principles.

The work was maddeningly slow, but The Emperor had patience. When he finally conquered Equestria, his victory would be so complete as to utterly break those ridiculous ponies' spirits. And then, he would finally be able to take that backwater province and usher it into the modern age with the rest of the world. Ultimately, the citizens of Equestria didn't know what they were missing. Until then, The Emperor had other matters to occupy his time.

His deal with Princess Celestia had been something of a joke when he had first made it. He had entirely intended to renege and just invade Equestria at some point in the future, but in the interest of avoiding collateral damage, he had decided to let the negotiation stand. At some point, Celestia would leave herself open. To him, it was all just a game at this point. Admittedly, the Princess had proven herself a worthy opponent, and (barring the occasional misstep) her rule had so far stood unchallenged. Having kept various eyes on the country over the centuries, a part of him admired her for her ruthless killer instinct. In other circumstances, he would have loved to have her as local governor. If only she wasn't so _proud_, insistent on doing things her way. Her sister hadn't been much better. At least she now seemed to be out of the picture.

Turning his high-backed chair to face out the window, The Emperor reclined in the mid-morning sun. Today, Celestia had deftly sidestepped another chance to fall. Soon though, she would make her mistake. Individuals like her always did eventually.

* * *

Later that day, The Emperor decided to check on the top-secret magic research. The laboratory was located several stories underneath the main palace complex, accessible only via secure elevator from the center of the Imperial Archives.

As he walked through the endless rows of bookshelves in the archives, The Emperor felt the weight of millennia worth of history around him. Within this vast library rested the collected and established knowledge of the whole of the Empire. The room built to house the enormous collection was perfectly square, and an astounding one and a half _miles_ on a side. The space was jam-packed with myriad rows of shelved collections, and was infused with an aroma carrying a hint of must. Most certainly, though, the room simply felt unspeakably _old_. As an individual who had seen the passage of centuries, The Emperor was of two minds about the place. On the one hand, there was a certain classical homeliness about the room, lit by warm lamps and the occasional fireplace for reading areas. At the same time, the organization of so many volumes was ridiculously inefficient, so he was glad that the collection was in the process of digitization for storage in a much smaller server room upstairs. _The future is upon us. No point in denying that._

Finally arriving at the secure elevator, he confirmed his identity via fingerprint and retinal scans, before boarding for the short descent. The ride took only about thirty seconds, and as The Emperor stepped out, he took note of just how different this space was from the one he had departed.

Lit by clean white fluorescence, an austere hallway stretched away from the elevator for several hundred feet. The research complex was not terrifically large, but it had expanded somewhat in recent years, as experiments had been conducted and results analyzed. A multitude of passage-ways branched off from the main promenade, each one styled in the same stark white paneling. Signs printed in the Empire's universal language offered various directions:

- Supercomputer Facility

- Particle Accelerator

- Dissection and Anatomy

- Genetic Laboratories

_So much time and capital, and all just for one thing: magic_. After casually strolling up the hall about a dozen feet, a door opened in front of The Emperor, and out came the tall, thin, Head of Research, Dr. Szill Tosak. Erudite, with short grey hair parted to the right, the doctor wore a light green jacket over a bleached white shirt, and of course bore the normal identification badges. Tosak had been working in this laboratory for thirty years, and it was under his tenure that progress seemed to really have started to happen.

Speaking quickly and sounding out of breath, Tosak waved The Emperor over. "Sir! I understand you enjoy coming and going as you please, but a little forewarning would be welcome. I was just about to make a breakthrough, I'm sure of it!"

With a wry smile, The Emperor sauntered over to where Tosak stood. "If memory serves, doctor, you said that the last time I arrived unexpectedly. You really ought to get some new material, Szill."

"Ah, but I already know that, Sir," replied Tosak good-naturedly as he ushered The Emperor through the door he had originally exited from. "In fact, it is new material that has my attention today."

The Emperor realized that Tosak was genuinely excited, which was almost certainly good news. Having worked on a project like this, where real progress was so hard to come across, had created some exceptionally jaded researchers. Perhaps some major nut had been cracked.

Clearly eager to explain, Tosak started out immediately down the hall to his workspace. "After having looked through the sample manifests, I realized that bizarrely enough, none of the original team had thought to examine the micro-structure of our samples, generally assuming that they would resemble their more common cousins, I suppose. So today, I took a sample and examined it under an electron microscope. And just look at this!" Tosak extracted a printout from a breast pocket and practically thrust it into The Emperor's face.

The Emperor studied the image. The black and white picture showed a roughly textured landscape, dotted with spikes of various sizes. This terrain was interspersed with regularly spaced open pits that appeared to drop into black nothingness. Confused, The Emperor turned back to his Head of Research. "Holes?" he inquired.

"Micro-pores, actually," confirmed the doctor. "For the moment, I think that they're for gas exchange. It would explain some of the internal structures that we've seen."

Understanding a bit more, the Emperor examined the image again. "And the spikes, then?"

At this, Tosak scratched his chin with a manicured hand. "Trickier, those things are. Our current model does indicate that the process is thermally intensive, so it could be that the spikes increase the surface area for heat to radiate off of. We'll have to run some more tests to confirm though."

"Do it," The Emperor stated with confidence. "I think you might be on to something with this, Tosak. Finally, huh?"

"Well, we mustn't get ahead of ourselves, Sir. We still don't have the faintest clue what _powers_ the whole process, or how they are able to create the myriad effects on the natural world that they are capable of. But thank you. With your grace, we'll have magic laid bare by science in no time at all."

Shaking Tosak's hand, The Emperor turned to go back upstairs. Slowly, the mysteries were revealing themselves. It may take some time yet, but science was clearly going to be the victor in this little engagement. It stood as a microcosmic metaphor for his larger war, and he took solace in that fact. Soon enough, Equestria would bow before its rightful ruler.

But before he got to the elevator, The Emperor heard Tosak call for him to wait. Turning round, he found the researcher standing beside him once again. This time, Tosak had an oddly uncomfortable look about him. Looking over his shoulder, Tosak spoke in a soft whisper. "A question, Sir. Four hundred years have passed since we began storing the eggs. By your deal, we don't need to keep them anymore."

The Emperor placed a reassuring hand on Tosak's shoulder. "No, Szill. She has served us well, and I am a fellow of my word. When we are done with her, I will find the proper home for her final legacy."

Tosak gulped down his nervousness. "You mean, in Equestria?"

"Yes. However it can be done, I shall see to it. I do believe that we owe her at least that much. Now, back to your work. I'm going to be expecting a full report on these findings by the end of the week, Tosak."

Reassured, the doctor was his normal, crisp, self again. "Alright, Sir, it shall be as you say." And with that, the Head of Research went back down to his hallway, even humming a little ditty as he walked. The Emperor could only chuckle. Such strange creatures, scientists were.

As he rode back up to the Archives, The Emperor realized that although today had overall been a setback, progress was still coming along nicely. Thus far, Celestia had evaded him, even shown remarkable poise in dealing with the problems that a monarch would be expected to face. But soon enough, she would come to realize the true power of the enemy that she had made. Magic or no magic, Equestria would be his to rule with impunity. The funniest part of it all was, ironically enough, that it was the Princess herself that had provided him with this chance: a chance to decrypt the enigma that was magic, and turn it to his own ends. Thinking of it, The Emperor let a rough laugh emerge from deep in his lungs.

_Yes, all in its due time._

End Act II


	21. Appendix: Act IV Sneak Peek

****[A/N: Well, this is it, as promised! A few of the dialogues between Celestia and Discord that didn't quite make it to air in the Season 2 premiere. Specifically, this bit starts immediately after the Mane 6's first encounter with Discord in the hall, after they have already left for the maze. Discord takes a few moments to have a more private discussion with his old enemy.

The similarities between Celestia and Discord are going to be a major theme throughout this continuity, and as such they will be meeting several times, sometimes rather unexpectedly. Each time, I thoroughly enjoy writing their encounters. Please do enjoy this special sneak peek of what's to come!]

**The Return of Harmony**

With Twilight and her friends gone off to the maze, Princess Celestia strolled aimlessly about the regal hall for a time. Centuries ago, she would have been right in the thick of this fight, but now that the Elements were no longer hers to command, she had been relegated to the sidelines. Still, she was confident in her chosen heroes. That friendship had survived some tough scrapes before, and surely as long as they stuck together, they would get through this one as well.

Celestia was not the least bit surprised when Discord materialised inside the room with her. His horrifically twisted form seemed to build itself in wisps in one of the shadowy corners of the hall. It had been more than a thousand years since Celestia had seen him last, and in the meantime, the country had changed a great deal. The Princess herself had changed a great deal as well.

Without turning around to face him, Celestia continued to admire the stained-glass depiction of his first defeat. "Shouldn't you be preparing for the next phase of your oh-so-dastardly plans?"

Discord replied without any delay. "Perhaps I should be, but I absolutely _had_ to take some private time aside for my absolute favourite Princess in the whole world. Come, my dear, there's no need for such hostility. Frankly, I got enough of that from Luna back in the day."

Slowly, Celestia turned to gaze at the shape of her one-time enemy. During her formative years, Discord had been the object of her hate, the signpost of her ambitions. Removing him, she had thought, would solve all the problems facing Equestria. Since then, things had changed considerably, but she was not quite ready to be on friendly terms with her old enemy just yet.

"Ah, there you are at last," stated Discord as she came forward to face him. "A thousand and a half years, and still as radiant as the first day we met. Tell me Princess, what is your secret?" With a chuckle, he floated into the air, swirling in lazy loops about the ceiling. "You don't have to answer that by the way," he added nonchalantly. "Despite all the warnings I gave you about dark magic, there are some wonderful perks. Immortality among them. Honestly, I am surprised you have fought so hard to stay connected with the Light."

Celestia turned away in embarrassment. She was certain that none of the ponies had noticed her personal battles with the dark energy inside her, even on the worst of days. Sometimes she felt as though she was being torn apart, as the two forces, polar opposites of each other, battled for control of her mind. It only occurred to her then that Discord would likely understand. He had probably gone through the same thing during his final months as a unicorn.

Coming down right in front of her, Discord looked at her calmly. For an instant, Celestia drew back, until she saw the look in his eyes. Gone was that terrifying, maddening sparkle that so often lit up his face. Instead, his eyes were placid, fills with centuries of doubt and despair. When he spoke, his tone was warm, almost _paternal_ in fact.

"Princess," he began slowly, reaching out with his talon to stroke her mane. "I can see it in you. The darkness and the light fight each other eternally, just as you and I must always be at odds whenever we should meet. You cannot forever stand with one hoof in either world. Either submit yourself fully to the cause of one force, or else the conflict will eventually destroy you, as it almost did me."

In that instant, Celestia knew that indeed that he was right, and she would have to make that choice. But what could she choose? Choosing light meant sacrificing personal power, and the sureness of immortality. Her reign would end, and The Emperor would surely arrive to enslave Equestria. Choosing darkness meant she would be no better than Discord. Silently, she waited for some advice, but for once none was forthcoming. In that instant, Celestia was truly alone.

The moment dragged on for a tense instant, before being shattered by a tiny white bolt of lightning that sparked up from Discord's talon, dealing both him and the Princess a mild shock. Pulling back, Discord bowed once, apologetic. "Excuse me, Princess, that was just a little notification spell of mine. It seems I must be off, as the games are about to begin. It does sadden me somewhat that you and I can no longer match our skills directly, but I will be sure to give your envoys a true taste of my old glory."

Pausing momentarily on his way out, Discord snapped his fingers with a flourish. All at once, six of the salubrious windows transformed into flowing, luminescent displays. Each one showed a live image of one of the party of Celestia's heroes, from the calm and stoic Twilight on the far left to the terrified (but hiding it fairly well) Fluttershy on the right. For the moment, the six stood together outside the Canterlot maze.

Addressing her one last time, Discord stood just inside the threshold of the hall's entryway. "Regrettably, you won't be able to join us for the festivities today, Princess. But, fair is fair, and after all you _did_ beat me last time. Consider this my own little personal revenge, a front-row seat to the fall of your kingdom, as you can only sit by in impotence. When chaos reigns again over this land, remember this, and think on its meaning. You must realize that I will _always_ win in the end." Having said his final words, Discord twirled about in a final grandiose gesture, disappearing into nothingness.

Recovering her composure, Celestia knew that now all she could do was wait and hope. With luck, her view would not be that of the fall of her kingdom, instead that of the triumph of the forces of harmony.

* * *

Approximately half an hour later

Suddenly exhausted, Celestia collapsed upon her throne on the dais of the room. Not only was Discord back up to his old tricks, it seemed that her old foe was being cannier than ever this time around. His words from earlier rang through her mind. _"You must realize that I will always win in the end."_ Was there something Discord knew that she didn't? In another sort of situation, she might have liked to question him about it, but for now there was a battle to be fought.

The situation was by now quite desperate, but she still had cards to play. If the old Lord of Chaos thought he was going to get her kingdom this easily, he most certainly had another thing coming.

Striding quickly through the castle now, Celestia knew that her time was rapidly running out. If she was to have any chance, she had to get to Twilight as soon as possible. Her student needed a little extra encouragement, and the Princess knew precisely how to get it out to her.

Bursting into the Royal Archives, Celestia called out for the librarian on duty. "Page! Page, I need you here right now!"

Page Turner, the current lead archivist on duty, was a young student of the Princess'. Several years previously, Celestia had noticed the young pony's incredible organizational skill, and recommended her for a position here. Now, the Princess was thankful for the archivist's alacrity.

Arriving at the main desk, Page exhaled a sharp breath. Obviously she had hurried from whatever she had been doing. Steadying her mane of loose blond curls, the young pony appeared eager to please. "Princess! What can I do for you?"

"I need the collected correspondence of Twilight Sparkle's letters, Page. Ponyville period." The Princess was being blunt for a reason, as she knew that time was of the essence.

Dutifully, Page pulled an archive box from the shelf, and carried it over to Celestia's reading table. The Princess was slightly surprised by the appearance of the container. _A whole box? I don't remember Twilight ever being quite so verbose._ Still, when she opened the box and examined the first entry, the handwriting was easily recognized as Spike's. She skimmed over the first few lines:

_Princess Celestia: I am pleased to report that the implementation of our joint strategy for increasing the prosperity of the town of Ponyville is proceeding well. Second quarter tax revenues are up 7% on the year…_

In a flash, Celestia realized her mistake. Calling the archivist over, the Princess knew she would have to be subtle, so as not to raise Page's suspicions. "Yeah, Page. Umm, this is good, but I actually just realized that I have a family engagement this weekend and I haven't decided what to make for supper yet. Twilight's letters can wait until next week. Could you put these back, and give me directions to the Recipes section?"

Not surprisingly, Page looked somewhat dubious at the request. "Recipes? Um, whatever you say Princess. The archive is alphabetical by aisle, so you'll probably want to start from the right. If you need to call up the quick reference spell, think of the number 46, then your query."

As Page shuffled off with the archive box, Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. In her haste she had forgotten that she had ordered the forged letters to be filed with Twilight's official correspondence, just in case the Senate decided to audit her affairs again. The _real_ letters, though, were filed under ancient eggplant recipes, just to make sure no one stumbled onto them by accident. Arriving at the proper aisle, it took the Princess only several minutes to locate the discreet folder. Skimming over the words now, Celestia immediately recognized her student's pragmatic phrasing and hopeful subject matter. _Friendship, honesty, loyalty; that's the stuff._ It was the sort of schlock that one would expect to find in a poorly-written children's programme, but today, it was precisely what Celestia needed.

Exiting the archives, Celestia had a sudden thought: _Spike is going to kill me after this._ She would have to find some way to compensate him for the intestinal discomfort she was about to put him through.

* * *

When Discord returned to the throne room, Celestia was waiting for him, a knowing smile on her face. Nevertheless, the Lord of Chaos was positively ebullient as he sauntered up the aisle of the great hall. "You see how easy it is, Princess? So much for your 'chosen heroes'!"

Continuing to smile, Celestia did not respond, merely reclining further in her throne.

"I always did have a thing for finding the flaws in a personality," Discord continued. "And let me tell you, those six flew open like books! Personally, I don't see how you can avoid conceding the victory to me this time around."

"Nevertheless, I refuse to yield, Discord. In my opinion, you haven't quite subverted my rule enough to warrant abdication."

Discord stopped to snort. "Ha, that's a joke right? Have you looked outside the window lately? Equestria is back in the age of chaos, all thanks to yours truly. Resistance is surely futile." With that last line, Discord conjured up a large crown that he set upon his head. "What hope do you still hold to?"

"You know the rules, Discord. We play by the honour system, and if I refuse to admit defeat, you can either force me out or play the waiting game. Your choice, old friend." To emphasize the last point, Celestia let a little bit of dark magic coalesce from her eyes. From Discord's perspective it manifested as a slight crimson glow around her irises.

Throwing his arms up in mock defeat, Discord turned to face the exit. "Point well made, Princess. Home-field advantage, right? Well, in that case I guess I'll just leave you to your business. Any last requests?"

Before he left, Celestia had one burning question that needed to be answered. "Actually, yes, I would like to know something. I understand that locking the Elements behind a dark magic spell was pretty stupid of me, but I happen to know that beings with dark magic in them cannot handle the Elements. I have the scorched hooves to prove it. How in blazes did you manage to carry them off?"

Chuckling gently, Discord flew right up to where Celestia sat upon the throne. Placing one hand on her shoulder, he once again assumed an almost paternal posture. "You know I do care for you, Princess, but sometimes you take things so darn literally I almost start to worry. You're always so constrained by ritual and tradition that sometimes you can't see what's right in front of you. Handling the Elements was as easy as a pair of tongs."

Having answered the question, Discord again moved to the exit. Arriving at the door, he turned to address Celestia one last time with a grin. "Well, I would to love to chat some more, but if you'll excuse me, dear Princess, I have a kingdom to run, **into the ground**! Ha! So long, always a pleasure, Princess." And after adjusting his garish crown a final time, he stepped out.

"You too, old friend," Celestia spoke softly after him.


	22. Appendix 2: A Treatise on Magic

[A/N: I would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all my friends and supporters in this endeavor, who humoured my seemingly ridiculous ideas and helped to hone my opinions, even though most of them aren't even bronies. And, as always, if you have taken the time to read this content, then you are a great person, and I wish you the best of luck in your future.

For the greater glory of this beautiful community,  
cursedchords]

**Appendix 2: A Treatise on Magic**

From the desk of the Author:

This is the first selection from a series of explorative works detailing my interaction with the MLP canon and the experiences I have gone through in constructing this story. It will most certainly not be the last. In particular, this document explores magic, and its myriad uses.

In so creating _Legends of Equestria_, a question came to my mind: is magic infinitely customizable? That is, can it be used to perform _any_ action, even arbitrarily complex or specialized roles? In a computing context, there is an equivalent question: is magic Turing complete?

For those readers not familiar with the concept of Turing completeness, this is a measure that computer scientists use to determine the computational power of a given system. It is named after Alan Mathison Turing, one of the founders of modern computability theory. A computing paradigm is said to be Turing complete if it can be proven functionally equivalent to a "universal Turing Machine", a theoretical computer capable of solving any decidable problem given enough time. The requirements for the Turing completeness of a system are many, but the proof can be simplified using analogy.

In Act II of _Legends of Equestria_, Princess Celestia creates the cutie mark spell, which is a very complicated magical construct. The spell exists to monitor the population of Equestria, and assign them destinies so as to keep every pony happy, although it also attempts to maintain the social order by assigning ponies into their designated spots in the social hierarchy. The spell functions as an autonomous entity, assigning cutie marks to ponies according to a number of criteria. It can be useful to consider the spell as having three main elements.

1. A list of assets. In this case, the asset list is the database of cutie marks, as well as the allowable interactions between the spell and the subjects (the citizens of Equestria). For example, since the spell is constrained into protecting the social order, it is required to sometimes "nudge" ponies into destinies that they might not naturally consider. If a construction boom is happening in Equestria, for instance, the spell might output more carpenters than usual, so as to maintain the balance of the economy. If Equestria was engaged in a war, the spell would immediately begin creating soldiers to bolster the ranks. It is a very powerful and adaptable piece of magical machinery in this way.

2. A list of constraints and rules. As mentioned above, some of these rules pertain to the frequency that certain marks and destinies can be dealt out. Another constraint is that no pony is allowed to enter a profession which would subvert the interests of the Princess or the government. Specifically, this constraint is designed to ensure Celestia never has to worry about revolutions. It's helped by the fact that civil war never makes anyone happy, so it is impossible for a pony's destiny to be starting a revolution, because that would not lead to a gratifying life.

3. A mechanism for monitoring the subject, and testing out configurations of cutie marks and interaction sets to find one which best accomplishes the objective without violating the constraints. If one thinks of the spell as a machine, it takes three inputs. First is the subject: the pony that needs a cutie mark. Second is the objective: we wish this pony to lead a happy and fulfilling life without violating any of the constraints. And third is its list of allowed actions: those things which it is allowed to do in order to accomplish the goal.

In computing parlance, this sort of system is known as a **declarative programming paradigm**. The program (here the spell) is given an objective and a list of methods it might use to solve the problem. It then proceeds to search through the potential solutions until it finds one that satisfies the constraints and completes the objective.

Perhaps an example would be a good way to clarify matters. Let us take a young unicorn, and let us call her Alice. When she reaches the proper age, the spell recognizes her and dispatches a task to fulfill its objective: choose a cutie mark for Alice such that she will live a happy life.

Since Alice is a unicorn, the spell gets certain allowances. It may grant her special magic in conjunction with her cutie mark, or simply special skills to coincide with her profession. However, as mentioned, the preservation of the social order is also paramount. Let us suppose that Alice's hometown is rapidly expanding in population. The municipal government will need to expand to handle the situation, so the spell will tend to prefer assigning cutie marks related to administration and politics. This by no means guarantees Alice will grow up to be a member of the municipal council, it simply means that over time, the average of cutie marks given out in this town will be weighted towards political ones.

The spell monitors Alice, simulating the effects of various cutie marks on her frame of mind. When it finds one that optimally fulfills its criteria, it assigns that mark, and also implements the package of "adjustments" to Alice's psyche and biology that go along with the cutie mark. The spell prefers to make as few adjustments as possible, but once again, this preference is weighted with its other constraints.

The process just described is computationally similar to a computing construct known as an **inference engine**, which accepts a logical statement and a list of rules, attempting to either prove or disprove the statement with the rules. Programming languages built on such engines have been proven to be Turing complete (for an example one can look up the Prolog computing language). In light of this, the required proof of Turing completeness for magic is trivial:

-The cutie mark spell functions as an inference engine, which we can simulate as the Prolog language.

-Prolog is Turing complete.

Therefore, the language used to implement the inference engine must also be Turing complete.

-The cutie mark spell is implemented with magic.

-Therefore, magic is Turing complete. Q.E.D.

I wish to make it very clear that the above proof applies only to _Legends of Equestria_, since there is no evidence in canon that cutie marks are an artificial device created by a magical spell (though to my knowledge there is no concrete evidence disproving this idea either.) In canon there is no example of a spell complex enough to prove the Turing completeness of magic. However, based on examples of its ability to do practically anything (_Sonic Rainboom_, _Magic Duel_, _Keep Calm and Flutter On_, to name some of the more esoteric examples) it seems rather likely that this is the case.

To make it easier to determine the question as it pertains to the universe in general, allow me to make another assertion, and list some reasons for why I think it is reasonable. The assertion is simple: magic can be modelled as an **imperative programming language**. An imperative language is one wherein programs (spells) are defined as lists of instructions which act to modify a saved state when interpreted by a system. Here, the "state" is simply the world in general, which is impacted by the effects of the spell. The "instructions" are the mental gymnastics performed by any unicorn in casting a spell (perhaps some of you have wondered precisely what Twilight is thinking about when she casts a spell). And finally, the "system" here is the magical hardware of the unicorn: the horn and underlying magic generation structures of unicorn anatomy. (Rest assured, we shall leave off discussion of that particular biology here, but I do have some theories as far as this is concerned as well, which may be discussed in a future appendix.)

Such an assertion answers several questions. For one, it explains why complex magical spells require a large amount of _time_ to be cast. The "system" has to crunch through more instructions, and modify the state of the world in more complex ways. The more instructions a spell requires, the more difficult it is to assemble it in one's head as well, explaining the large amount of concentration that we see required to employ more complex spells.

It is also possible that this explains the iterative style in which magic education appears to be conducted. Based on what we've seen of Twilight's education, a unicorn starts out with simple spells, before moving on to more complex ones, which could be extensions of the original material. It is possible that, in a way not dissimilar to modern computing, the student is able to abstract away the details of a spell once they are comfortable with it. While they might originally struggle with the details of turning a rock into an apple, for instance, once learned the spell can be packaged into a library call and saved for later use. If this same student wished to create a spell that changed a large amount of rocks into apples, it is now unnecessary for them to enumerate the entire transmutation spell again. The collection of instructions for the original transmutation could be abstracted into a single instruction (referencing their internal library), thus simplifying the matter. The more experienced a unicorn gets, the more complex their mental libraries become, and thus the easier it is for them to cast complicated and specialized spells.

It is even possible that the more prolific unicorns throughout history would have developed entire specialized instruction sets geared toward accomplishing specific tasks. One notable example would likely be the time travel spell from _It's About Time_. Since time travel is a very complicated endeavour, the old scholar Star Swirl likely abstracted much of the details away into a set of simplified instructions, making it easier for others to grasp the material. In the same way that a modern computer programmer might utilize a random number generator built into a programming language without knowing how it was implemented, Twilight could cast the time spell as soon as she learned the interface for the specialized instruction set, without knowing precisely how the magic operated.

Provided that one accepts these reasons for modelling magic as an imperative language, the question of whether or not magic is Turing complete becomes very simple. Due to their nature, all imperative languages are Turing complete if they have both of the following two features: conditional branching, and looping constructs. If one can find evidence of magic having these features, then it is provably Turing complete, and is capable of doing absolutely anything.

There is some circumstantial evidence to be presented here. For example, the spell that Twilight uses to repair the dam in _The Mysterious Mare Do-Well _would have been maddeningly repetitive to construct if one was forced to individually pick up pieces of debris and see them to their places. The speed and ease with which the spell executed points to the existence of a simple loop structure, to deal with such repetitive tasks.

In addition, one could make arguments for conditional branching to exist. Over the course of _The Return of Harmony Part 2_, Twilight refers to the magic she uses to resurrect her friend's memories as "the memory spell", implying that a single procedure is being used for all cases. Since the actual memories involved are different for each subject, this indicates a possible conditional construct, capable of selecting the proper actions for each subject encountered.

In conclusion, I think that questions concerning the scope of magic's possibilities in this universe are legitimate ones that we should be debating. Remember that as of _It's About Time_, we know two things: that time travel is possible, and that this universe consists of a single timeline that exists at all points uniformly (otherwise Twilight going back in time would have caused a fork rather than a stable time loop). Because of this, time travel can legitimately be used to explain anything. For example, if you wanted to change a pony's species, you could simply go back in time to the moment of their conception, and switch around some of the genes in the original cell, which would be far easier than changing their_ entire _genome around in the present day. If it could be proven that magic is also Turing complete, a similar state of affairs could exist concerning our ability (as a community) to explain certain occurrences.

In canon, it has been shown that magic can be used to do practically anything, if one sets one's mind to it. Naturally, I decided to take that to its logical extreme in _Legends_. Princess Celestia pushes magic to its absolute limits over the course of her life, creating several spells beyond what has been shown on the show alone. Later on, in the upcoming Act III, we shall be treated to some of the effects of magic's Turing completeness in this universe. For example, the Princess invents the concept of "meta-magic", or magic spells that affect how other magic spells operate. One such spell hides the characteristic glow around her horn when she casts spells, allowing her to use magic without other ponies noticing.

Magic is, after all, probably one of the most intriguing concepts in all of fiction. It is natural that we should seek to explain and understand it. In writing this treatise, I am not trying to impress my opinions upon any segment of the community, but simply to spark some worthwhile and reasoned debate concerning this universe that we all love so much. Rest assured, as I continue to expand my own interpretations of the universe that Equestria resides in, more thoughts along these lines will be published in their own ways.

With respect to this wonderful community,

cursedchords


End file.
